PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) once again criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for failing to complete the Rapid Bus Transit (BRT) project on time.
The case against the delay in the project was filed by Advocate Isa Khan which was heard by a two-member bench comprising of Justice Ibrahim Khan and Justice Naeem Anwar.
When Additional Advocate General Arshad Khan appeared before the bench, Justice Ibrahim said, “Will the BRT project be completed in this century?”
Arshad Khan told the court that work on the BRT stations was underway and the project would be completed soon. Khan also informed the court that the project has 26 stations which would need more time for completion.
On this, Justice Ibrahim remarked that if there are 26 stations, it means it would take several more years to complete.
The petitioner also informed the bench that BRT tracks and towers have been built at great distances from each other. Work on the track is also slow and the public is facing problems, he added.
In the past, the provincial inspection team in its report identified several shortcomings in the BRT project. The report stated that the BRT project was started without proper planning and due to the changes in its design, the cost of the project has increased manifold thus incurring heavy losses on the public kitty.
The additional advocate general told the court that the KP government has already filed comments in this connection, but he could not immediately submit it in court and asked for more time. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till October 16.
Last year, PHC Chief Justice (CJ) Waqar Ahmad Seth had directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to conduct an investigation into the project and to submit a report of alleged loopholes and corruption in the project.
NAB later submitted its report to the court, however, the KP government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court which suspended the PHC order and stopped further inquiry into the BRT project.
Its merits mention here that the green buses for the project arrived in Peshawar six months ago which have been parked under the open sky. So far, no final date for the completion of project has been announced by the provincial government.
The case against the delay in the project was filed by Advocate Isa Khan which was heard by a two-member bench comprising of Justice Ibrahim Khan and Justice Naeem Anwar.
When Additional Advocate General Arshad Khan appeared before the bench, Justice Ibrahim said, “Will the BRT project be completed in this century?”
Arshad Khan told the court that work on the BRT stations was underway and the project would be completed soon. Khan also informed the court that the project has 26 stations which would need more time for completion.
On this, Justice Ibrahim remarked that if there are 26 stations, it means it would take several more years to complete.
The petitioner also informed the bench that BRT tracks and towers have been built at great distances from each other. Work on the track is also slow and the public is facing problems, he added.
In the past, the provincial inspection team in its report identified several shortcomings in the BRT project. The report stated that the BRT project was started without proper planning and due to the changes in its design, the cost of the project has increased manifold thus incurring heavy losses on the public kitty.
The additional advocate general told the court that the KP government has already filed comments in this connection, but he could not immediately submit it in court and asked for more time. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till October 16.
Last year, PHC Chief Justice (CJ) Waqar Ahmad Seth had directed the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to conduct an investigation into the project and to submit a report of alleged loopholes and corruption in the project.
NAB later submitted its report to the court, however, the KP government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court which suspended the PHC order and stopped further inquiry into the BRT project.
Its merits mention here that the green buses for the project arrived in Peshawar six months ago which have been parked under the open sky. So far, no final date for the completion of project has been announced by the provincial government.