To address Islamabad’s expanding transportation needs, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) intends to implement the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system.
The Economic Affairs Division has received a request for funding from the Asian Development Bank, JICA, etc. from the CDA’s planning wing. The Planning Wing came up with a rough design for this project, but top officers suggested that a consultant should conduct a thorough feasibility analysis.
Initial work identified four potential routes:
- 30.5 km from Rawat to Faisal Mosque on Islamabad Expressway and Faisal Avenue.
- 13.7 km from N5 commonly known as G.T road to Pakistan Monument via Srinagar Highway.
- 27.5 km from Rawat at T-Chowk to 26 No Stop on G.T road.
- 10.4 km from Pirwadhai to Faizabad via IJP road.
Because the track is one-sided, city planners decided against using Islamabad’s existing railway, which carries the majority of Pakistan Railways’ (PR) traffic.
According to sources, even if the planning wing began its preparations on schedule, carrying out this project will be difficult because it needs substantial funding and political stability.
Traffic engineering work for this project has started, according to Waseem Hayat Bajwa, Member Planning and Design CDA. He claimed that they are hopeful about funding this project because Islamabad may gain from it and that they are collaborating with the Economic Affairs Division to do so.
High-capacity public transportation using electric rails on a dedicated right-of-way is known as LRT. Municipal administrators have decided to introduce LRT to relieve traffic flow in the twin cities and facilitate the general public due to the heavy traffic on Islamabad’s roadways.