Metrobus (Lahore)

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This article is about the bus system. For the rapid mass transit system, see Lahore Metro.
Lahore Metro Bus
لاھور میٹرو بس
Background
Owner Government of Punjab
Locale Lahore
Transit type Bus rapid transit (BRT)
Number of lines 1 + (2 under construction)
Number of stations 27[1]
Daily ridership 160, 000[2]
Operation
Began operation February 11, 2013
Operator(s) Punjab Metro Bus Authority
Number of vehicles 64 [3]
Technical
System length 27 km (16.8 mi)

The Lahore Bus Rapid Transit or Lahore Metro Bus (Urdu: لاہور میٹرو بس‎), is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.

The first section, which consists of a 27-kilometres long route and 29 bus stations between Gajumata to Shahadra was opened by Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at an elaborate event in February 2013.

The route covers dozens of residential and commercial localities along the city’s main artery — Ferozepur road, linking together Lytton road, Jain Mandar, MAO College, Lower Mall, Civil Secretariat, Aiwan-i-Adal, Chowk Katchehry (District Courts), Shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh, Ravi Road, and Shahdra town.[4] The other routes are over mountain passes. An 8-kilometer section of the route is elevated.

The system uses e-ticketing and Intelligent Transportation System wand. The system is managed by the Punjab Metrobus Authority (PMBA) with the IT part is being carried out in coordination with Punjab IT Board.

History

Lahore Transport Company was established in 1984 to ease the traffic conditions of Lahore and improve bus services. LTC got all the transport responsibilities of traveling in Lahore in December 2009. A BRTS fleet of 650 Buses was introduced. It was given name " TransLahore". However, the BRTS did not have dedicated lanes and had to share roads with regular traffic with no right of way privileges. This resulted in a system that was a BRTS only in name.

TransLahore First Bus
TransLahore bus

Planning

After 20 years of discussion, the ambitious an expensive Lahore Metro, which had first been proposed in 1991 was abandoned in favour of a bus transit system, inspired by the successful Istanbul Metrobus system. Plans were developed in the last quarter of 2011 by both local and Turkish experts.

Construction

Construction of the project was divided into different packages and was awarded to different contractors. M/s Zahir Khan & Brothers in Joint venture with M/s Reliable Engineering Services (Pvt.) Limited constructed the major part of the Flyover including two elevated rotaries for BRTS.Habib Construction Services construct the down ramp to taxali gate of flyover.[5] Construction project started in March 2012 and buses entered service in February 2013. The system, which was constructed by the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA), a subsidiary of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) at a cost Rs 29.8 billion.[6] The system was built on the build–operate–transfer basis via the collaboration between the Punjab and the Turkish government.

The system was inaugurated by Punjab, Chief Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif on February 11, 2013, in a ceremony attended by Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ, Prime Minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, as well as ambassadors from a number of other countries. The Mayor of Istanbul, Kadir Topbaş, also announced a gift of 100 buses.[7] It is Pakistan's first bus rapid transit system.

Operation

Lahore MBS currently operates a fleet of 45 buses. A further 19 buses will be imported from China by late 2013.[3] The buses run on a single 28.7 km long Ferozepur Road corridor with two other corridors being planned. Buses on the current route have an average speed of 26 km/h.[8]

Following the initiation ceremony, use of the system was to be free during the first month. However, following a week of chaos and overcrowding, a fare of Rs. 20 (US$ 0.2) was imposed irrespective of the destination.[9]

According to the Lahore Transport Company, the daily ridership of the Metrobus exceeds 140,000 with the peak hourly ridership being 10,000 passengers per hour per direction (p/h/d). Studies conducted by the transport company claim that this figure will increase by 222% to 20,000 p/h/d in 2021.[8]

Expansion

During May 2013, the Punjab government received the feasibility study for the Multan Road line of the system. The study was conducted by the Turkey-based, İstanbul Ulaşım (Istanbul Transport), which also operates the Istanbul Metro. However, according to Punjab Metrobus Authority officials. the expansion of the Metrobus services in Lahore seem to be a low priority for the Punjab government, which is more inclined towards launching similar systems in the rest of the province.[3]

The Multan Road line would run along the route from Thokar Niaz Beg to MAO College and will have a predicted, peak hourly ridership of 7,300 p/h/d which will increase to 15,100 p/h/d in 2021.[8]

Meanwhile another route, along the Grand Trunk Road, is also proposed for the Lahore Metrobus System. This line will begin at Azadi Chowk and end at the Lahore Ring Road, passing through the Lahore Railway Station and Daroghwala.[3]

Design

The Lahore Metrobus meets the criteria laid out by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. It has barrier-controlled, automated off-board fare collection, a service interval of less than 2 minutes during peak hours, stations with well-designed signage and information systems and a precision bus docking system (See: Guided Bus). The terminal approach system has escalators and underground, subway-styled approach tubes. Due to these approach tubes, prospective passengers don't have to cross high-speed roads to get to the stations, but go below them instead, an example of a segregated Right-of-way.[10] The stations have parking spaces for motorbikes and cycles while the two terminals provide car-parking facilities as well.[11]

Ticketing System

Two types of ticketing systems exist at the Metrobus terminals:

  • Single-ride tokens that are good for one journey only and can be purchased for Rs. 20 (US$ 0.20) at the on-site ticket booth or the self-service Ticket Vending Machines (TVM).
  • Metrobus Cards that can be utilized for multiple journeys. These RFID-based cards are credit-card sized and can be obtained from the ticket-office for a refundable amount of Rs. 133 (US$ 1.33). These cards can be recharged to a maximum balance of Rs. 1000 (US$ 10) at the TVMs. The Metrobus cards remove the hassle of standing in a queue for a token and card-holders can proceed directly to the terminal.[12]

Route

The route of the bus transit system is as follows:[1]

[]
Lahore Metrobus
Legend

Gajjumata Terminal
Dulu Khurd Bus Stop
Youhanabad Bus Stop
Nishtar Colony Bus Stop
Atari Saroba Bus Stop
Kamahan Bus Stop
Chungi Amar Sidhu Bus Stop
Ghazi Chowk Bus Stop (DHA Phase-I)
Qainchi Chowk Bus Stop
Ittefaq Hospital Bus Stop
Naseerabad Bus Stop
Model Town Bus Stop
Kalma Chowk Bus Stop
Gaddafi Stadium Bus Stop
Canal Road Bus Stop
Ichhra Bus Stop
Shama Road Bus Stop
Qartaba Chowk Bus Stop (Also known as Mozang Chungi Adda)
Janazgah Bus Stop
MAO College Bus Stop
Civil Secretariat Bus Stop
Kachery Bus Stop
Bhatti Chowk Bus Stop
Azadi Chowk (Minar-e-Pakistan) Bus Stop
Timber Market Bus Stop
Niazi Chowk
Shahdara Terminal

Incidents

Bus driver protest, May 2013

Regular services were briefly stopped on May 24, 2013, as the bus drivers staged a protest at the Gajjumata terminal against 'poor working conditions'. The drivers were of the view that their employers weren't treating them right; they were fined for 'minor irregularities' and didn't have basic facilities like drinking water and a waiting area. The protesters dispersed after the Punjab Metro Bus Authority successful negotiated with them.[13]

Overheating vehicles, May 2013

During late May 2013, the Metrobuses started to develop an over-heating problem as the temperatures in the city crossed 45°C. The air-conditioners gave away and the engines started blowing fumes. Passengers had to bear sweltering heat in the congested buses as well as constant stoppages.[14] Punjab Metro Bus Authority's public relations officer, Amir Masood, told the media that when the buses were imported the manufacturers, Sweden-based Volvo and China-based Sunwin, were told to provide buses that could remain operational in temperatures approaching 51°C. When the operation error came to surface, Masood said that the suppliers are being fined and the further import of buses from them is halted. To counter the problem, new air-conditioning units were fitted in the buses in late June 2013.[15]

Related Projects

The Punjab Government, in the development program of 2013-14, proposed similar Metrobus projects for Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan. The Rawalpindi project being given top priority since it will serve the citizens of, the capital city, Islamabad as well.[16]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Pakimag – Lahore Metro Bus Route Map". 
  2. ↑ Metro muted critics, The Nation (Pakistan). Retrieved on 21 March 2013
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Khan, Rameez. "Public transport: Govt to order studies on new Metro Bus projects". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 6 August 2013. 
  4. ↑ http://pakvisit.com/pakistan/metrobus.html
  5. ↑ Habib Construction Services Completed Projects
  6. ↑ Khan, Rameez (14 February 2012). "Rapid Bus Transit System: Plans for First Bus-Only Road Stretch Extended". The Express Tribune. 
  7. ↑ "Turkish mayor gifts 100 buses for BRT". Dawn(Newspaper). 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2013-02-13. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Lahore BRT System Study". Lahore Transport Company. Retrieved 7 August 2013. 
  9. ↑ "Hustle of Metro Bus fades after withdrawal of free service". The Nation. 
  10. ↑ Khan, Gulraiz. "Metrobus: A folly or far-sighted?". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 29 June 2013. 
  11. ↑ "PMA - Frequently Asked Questions". Punjab Metrobus Authority. Retrieved 29 June 2013. 
  12. ↑ "Travel Cards & Tokens". Punjab Metrobus Authority. 
  13. ↑ "Metro Bus: Drivers protest against poor working conditions". The Express Tribune. 
  14. ↑ Aziz, Umair. "Metro Malfunctions: Imported Buses Can't Bear Local Heat". Pakistan Today. Retrieved 29 June 2013. 
  15. ↑ Khan, Ramiz. "Hot in here: Metro buses to test new air-conditioners this week". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 29 June 2013. 
  16. ↑ "Metro bus to hit Pindi, Faisalabad and Multan roads soon". Pakistan Today. 

External links

The Metrobus Route

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