| Project Detail |
The objective of the Project is to provide an efficient and sustainable public transport system in Karachi by delivering the citys Red Line BRT corridor. The proposed Project will directly benefit an estimated 1.5 million people living within 1 km radius from the BRT corridor and off-corridor services. The primary beneficiaries are passengers on existing privately-owned and operated bus lines, and new passengers expected to switch from private cars and motorcycles to the new BRT system. Women and girls, in particular, will benefit from enhanced mobility and safety. The Project will also improve air quality in the city and reduce net GHG emissions compared with private modes of transport. III. Project Description The Project consists of two components: (i) Construction of Karachi Red Line BRT Corridor and Associated Facilities; and (ii) Establishment of BRT Operations. Component A: Construction of Karachi Red Line BRT Corridor and Associated Facilities. The 28 km main corridor will be restructured over its entire width (façade-to-façade), including (i) the BRT infrastructure comprising 25 stations and dedicated lanes built at-grade in the median; (ii) the mixed-traffic roadway comprising up to six lanes in each direction; (iii) the non-motorized transport infrastructure comprising bicycle lanes and improved sidewalks along the corridor; and (iv) on-street parking and green areas added in various locations. The additional 2 km section of the common corridor, including 3 stations, will also be remodeled to create a mall for pedestrians and BRT only, with renovation and restoration of historical building façades. The BRT infrastructure will be completed with two depots, one underground staging facility, and off-corridor bus stops. Component B: Establishment of BRT Operations. The component consists of five subcomponents: (i) institutional development and capacity building of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) and TransKarachi; (ii) the design of the BRT operational plan and business model to achieve low operational subsidies; (iii) the facilitation of a bus industry transition program; (iv) effective project communication, multimedia campaigns and stakeholder engagement; and (v) the procurement of the BRT fleet, a biogas plant, a fare collection system, intelligent transport systems, and a bicycle sharing system. |
