BRTS project faces uncertainty

Another ambitious project after the metro rail, the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) is facing uncertainty.

The consultant of the BRTS project -- Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) -- has been untraceable for the past four months.

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) authorities said they had been making attempts to reach the CIDA executives through phone calls and letters but there has been no response for the past few months.

"The consultant should have given detailed designs of the BRTS project and cost estimations by March 2009. But, they have not been in touch with the municipal corporation since January this year," GHMC additional commissioner (traffic and transport) S Subba Rao told TOI.

The CIDA has submitted reports on project feasibility, environmental and social assessment and preliminary design for the 18.8 km corridor proposed from Rethibowli to JNTU, Kukatpally.

The agency reportedly did not respond to an official letter sent to the director of Canadian Partnership Branch, CIDA, Canada, on April 30, 2009. Earlier, another letter had been written to him in January this year. But there was no response either from the CIDA or local representatives even after this letter.

The agency initially surveyed and submitted a project report on social assessment in Feb 2008 to the state government and evinced interest in conduct a detailed study for the BRTS corridor.

As it came forward to undertake a free feasibility study, the Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) agreed for this.

It was decided that the GHMC would provide infrastructure facilities for the BRTS like road widening, while APSRTC would operate buses on this route. The estimated cost of the project is between Rs 5 and Rs 15 crore per km.

A special purpose vehicle (SPV) was also planned by UMTA to monitor the BRTS project as it is a top priority project for the city.

The Centre is promoting BRTS in various cities by giving funds under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) as 82 per cent of urban people depend on the public transport system.

"If the CIDA drops out the BRTS project will be delayed for one more year," a GHMC official said.