KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday discussed three different options for the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) at M.A. Jinnah Road and directed the concerned departments to submit detailed proposal within ten days.
The chief minister presiding over a meeting was informed that the federally-funded Green Line BRT project has attained more than 65 percent physical progress. The original scope of the project from Surjani to Gurumandir (Phase 1-A) will be finalised by the end of December 2017.
The key component of the Green Line BRT is the construction of highly automated bus depot in Surjani Town near Abdullah roundabout. Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited (KIDCL), the company responsible for construction of the project has requested the Sindh government to provide twelve acre land for establishment of the bus depot.
CM Sindh was told that the Sindh government has allotted only four-acre land which is not enough for the depot, at which he directed to arrange extra eight acres land so the depot could be established as per international standards.
The chief minister was told that the conceptual design of the extension of Green Line was developed after the approval of the extension from Gurumandir to Municipal Park and further into cantonment area.
According to the proposal, the section from Gurumandir towards Numaish will be underground, while the section after Numaish intersection will be elevated through the Seven Day Hospital and Garden Square up till Tibet Center. This would be turned around with elevated turn at Municipal Park and the last station along Green line BRT.
The Sindh government will develop an extension of the BRT at Municipal Park. There three options for BRT Green Line route from Numaish to Municipal Park are:
At Grade: Under the proposal, the Green Line would pass through four major signalised intersections and one major signal from Jameela Street. The lanes would reduce to three lanes in some stretches with two bus stations.
Underpass: M.A. Jinnah Road shall be blocked at two locations during construction period for around three to four months. Under the proposal there would a large extent of relocation of utilities and diversion route will be provided.
Elevated: There is a proposal for construction of elevated structure, which would obstruct view of of Mazar-e-Quaid and objection have been raised by a member of the KIDCL.
CM Sindh said that a through working should be made in consultation with experts on all three options within next ten days after which work at Numaish can be restarted.
 at M.A. Jinnah Road.){kind=link}