PURPOSE

A bus transit system to

carry the passengers of the
twin cities of Pakistan,
Islamabad, and Rawalpindi,
to address the rising traffic
concerns.

Nadia Noreen
(B00781254)
METRO BUS SERVICE QUAL 11016: CASE Studies
in Project Management

Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Pakistan
Contents

Metro Bus Project........................................................................................................................................2

Introduction.............................................................................................................................................2
Scope.......................................................................................................................................................4
Benefits...................................................................................................................................................5
List of Stake Holder & their Roles:.........................................................................................................7
Project Success or Failure:.......................................................................................................................8
Monetry Analysis:...................................................................................................................................9
Infrastructure:........................................................................................................................................10
Collaboration:........................................................................................................................................11
Innovations:...........................................................................................................................................12
Critical Analysis:...................................................................................................................................13
Bibliography..............................................................................................................................................14
 Metro Bus Project

Introduction

Murree Road is one of the most active and used road paths between the twin urban

communities because of its shorter length and directly connects Rawalpindi and Islamabad. In

recent years there has been an unusual and abrupt increase in traffic during the working time in

both the cities, most appropriately on Murree Road, bringing about extreme gridlock on this

route. This blockage creates exorbitant setbacks, ecological contamination, and related socio-

economic problems for the day-by-day workers. The public vehicle is one of the significant

patrons in the rush hour gridlock blend, and the nature of administration being given is of the

unfortunate norm on the roadmap. Pakistan's third-largest conurbation in the broader Islamabad–

Rawalpindi urban region has a population of 5 million people. Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the

twin cities, are increasing at a rate of more than 4% per year, indicating that they are developing

faster than the rest of the country due to massive migration. With current growth rates, the

population is expected to reach in the next twenty years; seven million individuals will have been

added to the population because two cities have grown into one another. There is a substantial

amount of commuting between them. The Islamabad metro bus Islamabad track is more than 22

km. It is a quick facility that operates in Pakistan's resident zone of Islamabad–Rawalpindi. On

June 4, 2015, the Islamabad Metro bus scheme administration was established. Linking between

Pakistan secretariat Islamabad to the Saddar, the Metro Bus runs for 22 km. The next project of

Metro Bus project is under construction which is approximately 26 km between Peshawar Morr.

Currently, Metro Bus is operated for 22 km between the Saddar in Rawalpindi and PAK

Secretariat in Islamabad. The next phase is under construction, extending approximately 25.6 km

between the New Islamabad International Airport and the Peshawar Morr Interchange.
 Currently, Coaster and Vans travel numerous roads within the two cities and in between

them as the primary mode of transportation. Rawalpindi and Islamabad are two cities in Pakistan,

and there was no scheduled public bus service to address the travel problems associated with its

residents. The minibusses’ level of service falls well below any reasonable standard. Over

210,000 cars travel along three key roads linking the two cities, transporting over 525,000

people. Public transportation is anticipated to carry roughly 153,000 passengers between the two

cities daily. Strangely, this traveler request is concentrated around a high-thick passage and is

decisively situated to accommodate sensible patronage for a fast travel framework (Metro Bus

Services | Transport Department, 2022).

The Government of Punjab and CDA joined hands because the two cities, Rawalpindi

and Islamabad, were very close to each other and had rising traffic problems. These cities have

lots of traffic, so they searched for a solution and planned a metro bus service project that could

address the increasing traffic concerns. The meeting held by the PM of Pakistan and CM Punjab

in April 2014, it was disclosed that the scheme would be supported on 50 50 equity portion by

FGoP (Federal Government of Pakistan) and PGoPP (Provincial Government of Punjab,

Pakistan). According to Pakistan's prime minister, the government of Punjab, with the help of

LDA (Lahore Development Authority), did a brilliant scheme for metro bus Lahore, so they

decided to give the RDA (Rawalpindi development authority) the only executing company of

this scheme (Javid et al., 2018). Islamabad is Pakistan's capital and the country's seventh-largest

city. The city's population, located in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), has expanded from

1Million in 1951 to 1,198,000 in 2021. With huge Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan's

metropolitan places are the third-largest town with around 5 million people. It is located within

the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) (Metro Bus Services | Transport Department, 2022).
 The Metro Bus System's vision (MBS) is a fast means of transportation capable of giving

buses flexibility and the reliability of traveling. MBS has been actualized in a few places

throughout the world as a reduced metro mode of transportation strategy, the act of transporting

individuals rapidly and productively.

Figure 1 Metro Bus service Islamabad/Rawalpindi

Scope

Project Metro Bus will be the sole responsibility of the Samiullah Chattah (Project

Manager). This project's scope is characterized by the Scope Explanation, Work Breakdown

Structure (WBS), and WBS Lexicon. The Venture Director, Support, and Stakeholders will set

up and endorse documentation for measuring extended scope, including quality assurance
checklists for deliverables and estimates for task execution. Over 210000 vehicles travel across

three key corridors linking two cities, transporting approximately 525000 passengers (Iftikhar,

Müller, and Ahola, 2021).

The metro transport benefit Rawalpindi-Islamabad comprises roughly 24 km. It starts

from Rawalpindi streak man lodging and ends at the minister's Secretariat in Islamabad. The

development extension has been isolated into two portions for illustrations of Rawalpindi and

Islamabad. In Rawalpindi portion in advance was separated into three bundles for case bundle 1

(Streak man lodging to Committee Chowk), Portion 2 committee Chowk to 6th street),and

Package 3 (6th street to IJP street Rawalpindi). The add up to total length of Metro Bus

Islamabad will be 13.7-kilometers. The Islamabad part has been assisted profit into five portions.

Portion1 (Faizabad to Peshawar Morr 4.5 kilometer), Portion 2( Overhead Peshawar Morr 1.2

kilometer), Portion 3 (Peshawar Morr to Centaurs 3 kilometer), Portion 4 (Centaurs to Shaheed-

e-Milat 3.2 kilometer), and Portion 5 (Shaheed-e-Milat To Secretariat 2.6 kilometer) (Iftikhar,

Müller and Ahola, 2021).

Benefits

1. Promote economy in the community:

A Rs.44 billion Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Program, which commenced

operations in 2014, acted as a stimulus for advancement. The population had increased even

more in the previous several years, which is credited with the revitalization of the downtown area

(Metro bus service to Islamabad airport from March 23 | The Express Tribune, 2022).

2. Attract corporate investment:

 In downtown Rawalpindi, it was suggested that flyovers be built to alleviate traffic

congestion on the congested Murree Road. But if all of the modifications had been made, there

would have been a massive demand for public transportation alternatives (Metro bus service

from Rawat to Islamabad demanded, 2022).

3. Promote Tourists:

The Metro Bus Project between Rawalpindi and Islamabad has made it possible for

national and international travelers to travel securely and appreciate Islamabad's attractiveness.

4. Decrease crime: 

The Metro Bus Project between Rawalpindi and Islamabad would aid in the reduction of

crime by enhancing the safety of travel through the metro bus service.

5. Enhance pedestrian safety:

The Metro Bus Project between Rawalpindi and Islamabad has a meager chance of

causing traffic accidents.

6. Increased public transport system usage: 

Increased use of public transportation is expected after the successful completion of

MBS.

7. Improve public transit system:

The Metro Bus Project between Rawalpindi and Islamabad significantly enhanced public

transit

8. Improve the environment:

 As people become more conscious of the importance of environmental concerns, green

projects, such as the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project, become more necessary.

9. Free Wi-Fi for only Rs 20, the town's cheapest internet:

Wi-Fi is available at both the Metro station and the bus. So bring your phone and laptop

and enjoy free and unlimited Wi-Fi for only RS20; there's no need to go to an internet cafe.

10. Take a lot of self-portraits and post them on social media:

Take as many selfies as you can while riding the Metro, especially your first time, and

then post them on Facebook.

11. .Amazing Meeting Spot, Bring Your Friends To The Metro Station:

Metro Bus stations are so well-designed that they may also be used as a gathering spot.

You may call your buddies inside the Metro station, have discussions, and save money on cold

drinks because you can't buy anything inside the station (Metro Bus Services | Transport

Department, 2022).

List of Stake Holder & their Roles:

 Federal Government of Pakistan

 Punjab Government

 Pakistan Environment Protection Agency(Pak-EPA)

 Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)

 Capital Development Authority (CDA)

 Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA)

 Punjab Environment Protection Agency (PEPA)

  Trade Community

 General Public

Many key stakeholders, including the Capital Development Authority, Punjab Transport

Department, Traffic Police, Karachi Mass Transit Cell, Transport Associations, and others, were

involved during the execution of project interventions and the aforementioned principal partners.

NUST University Islamabad, UET Lahore, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, NED

University Karachi, Sindh University, Jamshoro, Bahria University, Islamabad, Quaid-e-Azam

University, Islamabad, CUST University, Islamabad, Islamic University, Islamabad, and Arid

University, Rawalpindi are just a few of the reputable academic institutions with the involvement

of whom the project became successful (Metro Bus Services | Transport Department, 2022).

Project Success or Failure:

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service is without a doubt a massive success in

terms of service quality, schedule, and utility. Still, it hasn't done much to alleviate traffic

congestion on Benazir Bhutto Road since it started operating in June of last year (Zhang, Lo, Ng,

and Chen, 2020).

Traffic bottlenecks and mishaps are still prevalent, particularly around rush hour.

Because the most current and state-of-the-art service became the first love of commuters in the

Twin Cities the minute it was released, the demand for additional such services has begun to

flow in. Hundreds of wagons and Suzuki pick-ups fail to transport passengers to and from

Islamabad to areas on both sides of the road, prompting residents living along the Islamabad

Expressway from Rawat to Kashmir Highway and beyond to seek an expansion of the Metro Bus
Service route for them. As a result, even though three extensions have been completed, the

Islamabad Expressway still appears to be unable to handle automobiles' traffic load and streams.

Residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are ecstatic about the improvement in their

commuting standards. Still, they also complain about excessive traffic, especially during peak

hours, making travel difficult when they have to wait in lengthy lines for the next bus. When

they board the bus, which is already full, commuters from nearby stations fill the buses, forcing

them to walk the entire distance. They urged that the administration increase the number of buses

in response to demand rather than reducing them during low-flow hours (Iftikhar, Müller, and

Ahola, 2021).

The credit for initiating this project goes to the PM of Pakistan, Mian Nawaz Sharif, and

the CM of Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Sharif commitments and pledges to the Pakistani people to

improve their living standards while also relieving them of the discomforts that have tended to

worsen in the wake of rampant price hikes and economic tribulations.

In this context, Metro bus and train projects can be described as "an oasis of relief in the

desert of price hikes/economic tribulations" because they will not only relieve citizens' financial

burdens during day-to-day intra-city travel but also provide new impetus to their mobility, which

will help them increase their productivity (Iftikhar, Müller and Ahola, 2021).

Monetary Analysis:

The construction of the public transport system took place On February 28, 2014. It was

completed in June 2015, with 60 buses being the first to operate on the routes. The Rawalpindi

Development Agency had been in charge of the development's oversight. It was a collaborative

effort between the federal and provincial governments in Punjab and cost roughly Rs44.31
billion (US$280 million). The official opening date was intended for February 28, 2015.

However, work on the drainage ditches was postponed. Nawaz Sharif, the former Prime Minister

of Pakistan, launched the Metro bus on June 4, 2015. Even after the metro bus service was

launched, concerns with rainwater drainage remained unresolved. As a result, after monsoon

rains, the underground bus stations flood. Instead, rainfall in the region has been above average

throughout the year, causing development to be delayed. Flyovers, bridges, and pedestrian

underpasses were included in the project's first package, which was initially five packages were

created. The project began on March 23, 2014, and ended on March 27, 2015. A maximum of

Rs33.5 billion was spent on the project. (US$210 million), according to the project's contractor.

Habib Construction Services, one of Pakistan's major construction firms, was awarded the

construction contract that has previously worked on several massive projects (Iftikhar, Müller,

and Ahola, 2021).

Infrastructure:

Passengers' comfort throughout the travel is enhanced by sound infrastructure, which can

accommodate passengers for extended periods. Infrastructure considers various factors, such as

"passing lanes at stations; limiting bus emissions; stations situated back from crossings," and so

on. Regarding infrastructure, the Rwp-Isl Metro bus Service

received 7 out of 14 marks, demonstrating that transportation

authorities are entirely ignoring this critical component.

Emissions reduction of buses:

The environment has become a significant issue

because of global warming. Automobile and industrial

pollutants are the primary causes of global warming. Figure 2 Route Map of Metro Bus Service
According to international practice, BRT vehicles must meet Euro VI and US 2010 emissions

regulations. The Rwp-Isl Metro bus Service fleet comprises Euro III diesel vehicles, and the

available fuel is not environmentally friendly. The Rwp-Isl Metro bus Service's BRT buses run

on Euro II technology gasoline. It received a score of 0/3 because BRT cars do not meet Euro VI

standards (Iftikhar, Müller, and Ahola, 2021).

Collaboration:

The Metro Bus is controlled by an advanced network of IT systems, each of which has

been fine-tuned to meet our needs. Instead of the magnetic tickets used on the London

Underground, our system AFC uses a reusable RFID tokens system. Each voyage necessitates

printing magnetic tickets, which cost between two and three rupees. We wanted a solution that

didn't add to the cost of printing tickets to keep the fares cheap. On the other hand, magnetic

tickets rely on mechanical ticket dispensers, which would have failed frequently in our dusty

outdoor setting. Metro Bus utilizes contactless RFID plastic tokens for one-time journeys,

making it reliable. The token must be presented at the entrance gate and deposited at the

departure turnstile to be recycled in the system. That technology helps the system to track each

rider's distance covered and, in the future, implement a distance-based fare collecting method.

Smart cards will be available to regular riders, allowing the government to set special tariffs for

students, the elderly, and frequent travelers. Automatic ticket vending machines are used on the

Metro Bus system. This is the first time ticket machines have been used in Pakistan. You can buy

tokens and recharge your smart card by using these devices. We were developing e-ticketing

technology at that time. We were concerned about how quickly riders would adopt this

technology on this route. We've all been astounded by how quickly folks have picked up on the

method in three weeks. The whole system, including ticket vending machines, PDA ticket
rechargers, and turnstiles, is equipped with GPRS SIMS if the primary fiber link fails. Our fare

collection system will continue to work even if there are power outages or internet outages

because of the seamless switchover (Discussion on the Rescue Strategy of Metro Electric Bus,

2021).

The system's ability to stick to a fixed bus schedule is very critical to the project's long-

term success. Every bus has its on-bus-unit (OBU), which interfaces with a middle bus ordering

system to do this. Each bus's location and speed are tracked in real-time, and drivers are kept

informed of new orders to help them to stick to their timetable. This is accomplished by using an

interface with a central bus scheduling system (Iftikhar and Wiewiora, 2020).

Innovations:

The chief minister was speaking at the Arfa Karim Software Technology Park on

Thursday during the launch of the Innovation Punjab Website, which the Punjab Information

Technology Board launched with the help of Google.

According to a release, the event included William Fritz Gerald of Google, Punjab

Information Technology Board Chairman Dr. Umar Saif, Pakistan Software Housing Association

President Jehan Ara, and many IT experts.

According to the chief minister, Pakistan has incredible brains, unique ideas, and current

concepts, but they need to be implemented.

He described Punjab's first innovation policy launch, which was made possible by

collaborating with the Punjab Information Technology Board and Google, as a good omen.

According to Shahbaz, the innovation policy will aid in citizen empowerment, job

creation, and economic strengthening. He said that the Punjab government had implemented a
sophisticated public transportation system and that the Metro Bus Rapid Transit project was

using information technology (Iftikhar, Müller, and Ahola, 2021).

Critical Analysis:

It's unclear where the Pindi Metro bus fits into the larger transportation grand plan, or

anyhow, this program is aimed at Islamabad workers or Rawalpindi residents. For 80 percent of

commuters globally, Track (both above surface and below the surface) are the primary means of

transportation (trains commonly reach accelerate of 100 kilometers per hour and take up to

800 travelers per train, unlike buses that travel at 25 kilometers per hour and carry 100 travelers).

Given that the bulk of these individuals would be unable to pay to reside in Islamabad by 2035,

and the expanded metropolis will stretch from Hasan Abdal, the Fateh Jang transportation grand

plan's design purpose should reflect this. As previously said, the Pindi Metro bus should not cost

approximately $7 million per kilometer, but the actual estimated price is Rs 51 billion for 25 km

or $21 million per kilometer. According to Pakistani studies, almost 200,000 cars or 550,000

(person) journeys go from Pindi to Islamabad. If public transportation is used 50% of the time,

the Metro bus intended capacity must be at minimum of 300,000 trips daily today, rather than the

actual capacity of 150,000 (Zhang and Lo, 2020).

 Bibliography

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Urban Environment: A Study for Management and Policy. Sustainability, 13(5), p.2536.

Foreign Language Science  and Technology Journal Database Engineering Technology, 2021.

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[Link]?month=jan2020

Iftikhar, R. and Wiewiora, A., 2020. Learning Processes and Mechanisms for Interorganizational

Projects: Insights From the Islamabad–Rawalpindi Metro Bus Project. IEEE

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[Link]

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[Link]

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[Link]

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