CDA’S PLAN TO LAUNCH A/C CNG BUSES THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WILL BE A GREAT SERVICE TO PEOPLE – ICCI PRESIDENT

People of Islamabad, Rawalpindi & surrounding areas are facing acute transportation problem due to non-availability of any decent public transport system in the twin cities and CDA’s plan to launch air conditioned CNG buses for them through public-private partnership will be a great service to the general public, said Muhammad Ijaz Abbasi, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry while talking to Mr. Moman Agha, Director Muncipical Administration, Capital Development Authority who called on him at ICCI.

ICCI President said thousands of people daily travel to Federal Capital from District Rawalpindi, within Islamabad & surrounding areas for employment, business & for other purposes, but in the absence of a good transportation facility, they have to waste their lot of precious time in rush hours to get to their destinations. Thus it was a long overdue demand of people of the twin cities for a respectable public transport system and CDA’s initiative to provide them a good quality public transport system by launching A/C fitted CNG buses is highly commendable venture which will greatly facilitate the daily commuters.

Muhammad Ijaz Abbasi said roads of Islamabad/Rawalpindi are daily flooded with very high traffic volume and traffic jams is almost a daily phenomenon on these roads. He said plying of quality buses is the best option to reduce traffic load on roads and CDA has taken a laudable initiative in that direction. He added that CNG buses will not only provide a comfortable transport facility to the people, they will prove environmental friendly as petrol fuelled transport system emits lot of smoke badly affecting our environment. He hoped that people will prefer to commute on these buses instead of using their own transport, which will lessen the traffic rush on our roads.

ICCI President said CDA should also launch similar respectable transport facility for school going children and added that this arrangement will also reduce traffic load to a great extent. He also emphasized that these CNG buses should cover routes of all hospitals and other important public places in the interest of general public. He demanded of CDA to ensure the charging of subsidized fare on these buses to provide an affordable transportation to people. In the end, he assured that ICCI will extend its full support to all such good initiatives of CDA which will facilitate the general public as well as the business community.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Moman Agha, Director Municipal Administration, CDA informed that CDA plans to provide a good quality public transport system in the twin cities in partnership with private sector so that very old demand of public for buses could be met. He said they intend to ply 500 CNG buses in five phases covering Islamabad and Rawalpindi areas and 100 buses will be launched in first phase starting this venture with about 50 buses. He said this project will provide a quality public transport system to the general public at affordable price and all important routes will be covered to facilitate the public. He said CDA wants to take all stakeholders on board and his visit to ICCI is a step in that direction. In the end, he thanked President ICCI for giving valuable suggestions to make this initiative more effective and result-oriented.