Lahore Metro Bus Transit System

Muhammad Abdullah Jamil

2011-NCA-ARCH-012

Intent
This report aims to represent the following points.
A critical investigation of the Lahore Metro Bus Transit System.
The project mission, design and construction and cost.
The short term and long term environmental costs occurred by the
construction, maintenance and operation of the project.

Introduction
Green Line: 27 KM (16.8mi)
Number of Stations: 29
Direction: North to south
(Shahdra to Gajumata)
Dual Grade System.

Projected cost: PKR 29.8 Billion

Construction Duration: 1Year
Steel and Concrete are the
Primary materials used.

Project Mission
Why BRT?
An increase in economic activity.
Decrease in commute duration and congestion.
Savings in vehicle everyday expenditure.
Sense of ownership.
Guarantees the fundamental human rights of mobility.

BRT Lahore:
BRT in Lahore will serve for next 12-15 years.
The BRT operation began on February 11, 2013.
There is a fleet of 64 buses, but only 45 are in use.
Daily ridership: 180 000
Affordable initiative will go a long way in reducing emissions and traffic
volume.
It will help in attracting investment and create a new culture of public transport
and land use.
The Lahore Metro Bus Transit System route covers dozens of residential and
commercial localities along the citys main artery -- Ferozepur road, linking
together Lytton road, Jain Mandar, MAO College, Lower Mall, Civil
Secretariat, Aiwan-i-Adal, Chowk Katchehry (District Courts), Shrine of Hazrat
Data Ganj Bakhsh, Ravi Road, and Shahdra town.

Design and Construction

Construction of the project was divided into different parts and was awarded to
different contractors. M/s Zahir Khan & Brothers in Joint venture with M/s Reliable
Engineering Services (Pvt.) Limited constructed the major part of the Flyover
including two elevated rotaries for BRTS. Habib Construction Services construct the
down ramp to taxali gate of flyover. Construction project started in March 2012 and
buses entered service in February 2013.

Design of the Lahore Metro bus meets the criteria laid out by the Institute for
Transportation and Development Policy. It has barrier-controlled, automated offboard fare collection, a service interval of less than 2 minutes during peak hours,
stations with well-designed signage and information systems and a precision bus
docking system.

The terminal approach system has escalators and underground, subway-styled

approach tubes. Due to these approach tubes, prospective passengers don't have to
cross high-speed roads to get to the stations, but go below them instead, an
example of a segregated Right-of-way. The stations have parking spaces for
motorbikes and cycles while the two terminals provide car-parking facilities as well.

The Metro Bus Track

Arial View of Metro Bus

Risks in Lahore Metro Bus Transit System

Overloaded and Congestion

Environmental Hazards:

Treatment of Green Spaces:

i.

The Grounds in the vicinity of the green line are being decrepit
by the dumping and storage of construction material and
equipment.

ii.

The destruction of such large green spaces has induced

environmental and health hazards.

Major Green Areas Vanished

View of Pooch House Ground

Green Belts:
Pavements (dotted with minor greenery) have replaced green belts
under elevated tracks.
In the absence of greenbelts the porosity of the ground decreases,
thus limiting the amount of water that can seep into the ground,
thereby lowering the water table.
Over all the amount of green belts has reduced, potentially further
increasing the pressure on an already underperforming drainage
system.

 The glass used inside the confined space can cause green house
effect.

Constructional Hazards:
Noise and air pollution.
Fatal accidents caused by unattended constructional material.
Traffic congestion.
Dust causing breathing problems.
Compensation for destroyed property not even discussed before
the commencement of the project resulting in people being
forced to shift away or sell them.
The compensation is estimated to cost billions of rupees.

Effect on Informal Commercial Sectors

No provisions for street hawkers near the bus stations.
Services like public transport hubs act as social hot spots which are bound to
attract informal commercial activity.
Informal activity will be discouraged because of hierarchical organization of
the project.
In the long term, such activities are inevitable because of certain social and
economic paradigms present in our society.
In dense areas like Ichra, Data Durbar, etc. such activities are bound to spring
up.
Major Views of the Lahore are destroyed due to the construction of Lahore
Metro Bus Transit System such as view of Data Durbar, Minar -e- Pakistan.

Effect on Formal Commercial Sectors

Shops all along the Ferozepur road had to be dismantled and constructed
with little compensation from the government.
Shops along the BRT and particularly in the vicinity of the bus stations are
likely to see increased economic activity post construction.

Effects on Health Sector

Increase in asthma cases.
Increase in allergic diseases.
Decrease in the general hygiene of the area.
The Green line covers most of the major hospitals of the city; patients can
conveniently access the hospital by using BRTS from the far end of the city.
Ease of access to public parks and grounds laying along the Green line,
which will promote healthy activity in the society.

Emergency Access for Ambulances

There are no specially designed U-turns in front of some hospitals on the
Ferozepur Road.

 There is no immediate U-turn in front of Gulab Devi Hospital, Childrens

Hospital and Ittefaq Hospital since there is a considerable distance of 3.45 km
between both nearby U-turns.
In case of an emergency or an accident on the Green line, access for
ambulances and rescue personals is very limited.

Effects on the Urban Fabric

Physical partitioning of populations into two parts can lead to sociological
consequences.
Psychological effects of an imposing structure can induce a constant fear of
surveillance and a feeling of authoritarian power.
Privacy and Security are compromised because of the dual-grade nature of
the project (Elevated).
Natural pattern of urban growth is discouraged.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahore_Metrobus_Service
http://metrolahore.com/lahore-news-4.htm