Kutchery Chowk routes to have eight electric bus stops
RAWALPINDI: As 75 per cent work on the Kutchery Chowk remodeling project has been completed, Punjab Highway Department has started constructing eight bus stops for the electric buses on Kutcery Chowk routes.
“After the completion of remodeling project this year, Punjab government will launch Phase-II of electric buses to connect District Courts with other parts of the garrison city and in this regard, the eight sites have been selected for the bus bays,” said Punjab Highway Department Sub-Divisional Officer Masab Ali while talking to Dawn.
He said that the bus bays are bing constructed in front of Fatima Jinnah Women University, District Courts main gate, Adiala Road Square, Lal Kurti, Rashid Minhas Road, Old Airport Road and Jhelum Road.
He said that state of the art bus bays will be constructed where women and elderly people and special person will easily wait for the their destination buses. He said the government had told the contractor to follow the design made by the planning department for the bus bays.
He said that the work on Kutchery chowk would likely to complete by May. He said that the roads on two flyovers have almost been completed while the work is in progress to lay drain lines.
He said that utlity services had been laid and the horticulture work also started. He said that the provincial government was monitoring the quality of construction material on daily basis.
On the other hand, a senior official of the district administration said at present 45 buses are on seven routes of the garrison city and their number would be increased to 120 after completion of Kutchery Chowk remodeling project.
He said before the start of construction work on the chowk more than 10 routes had been finalised for e-buses, but the administration opened seven routes due to the construction work on Kutchery Chowk .
He said that after completion of Kutchery Chowk, the people would travel from Rawat T-Chowk to District Courts and from Koral Chowk to Soan Bridge and Motorway as well as Rawalpindi Railways Station Saddar.
He said the people who will come from surrounding areas of the garrison city would easily reach Raja Bazaar and down town area without any hurdle. He said that after completion of Kutchery Chowk Remodeling project, the road from Koral Chowk and T-Chowk Rawat to Motorway would be signal free and electric buses will provide better and secure traveling facility to the residents.
He said the work was started for the electric buses and Punjab Mass Transit Authority was working on it. He said that Regional Transport Authority had already allocated the routes.
He said that the provincial government was committed to providing safe and secure transport for the residents of the garrison city.
He said that the bus lanes had already defined in the Kutchery Chowk remodeling project and it would help reduce the rush. He said that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had already announced to give free travel to women, elderly people and students while other passengers are being charge Rs25 per person.