Islamabad: The Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has received the ‘Gold Standard’ award from the BRT standard technical committee recognising its quality standard and international best practices.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) praised hailed Zu Peshawar, the operator of the BRT system, on receiving the international Gold Standard status, saying that Pakistan’s Peshawar city is now “officially first in the subcontinent, third in Asia, and 11th city globally to receive the Gold Standard.”
The gold award was convened by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. Dr Walter Hook, a member of the technical committee presented the award to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister Kamran Khan Bangash in a ceremony at the Chief Minister House.
‘Big achievement for Pakistan’
Bangash said that “the Gold Standard award is a great achievement for Pakistan and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.” Peshawar BRT was the recipient of this award for its “passenger-oriented services, bus routes based on passengers’ needs, adopting clean technology for buses, improving safety, promoting non-motorised traffic and utilisation of maximum resources to facilitate the public at large” he added.
Prime Minister Imran Khan also congratulated the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on the achievement. The credit for the achievement goes to the best efforts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, BRT staff and officers and services providers and all other relevant institutions, minister Bangash said.
Sustainable urban mobility
Peshawar BRT was earlier recognised for promoting a sustainable mode of transport and improving women’s mobility from 2 to 20 per cent, narrowing the gender gap.
Peshawar’s BRT system runs 220 electric-hybrid buses (158 currently operational) and features 30 stations along the 27-km corridor across Peshawar, a city of around 2 million. The dedicated bus lanes have reduced traffic congestion and increased access to the city for all residents, especially women.
More than 8 million people have commuted via Zu Peshawar since its inauguration in August 2020. More than 300,000 people are expected to benefit from the system every day after the remaining 40 per cent of the bus fleet is operational.
Modern transport system
“Zu Peshawar is a state-of-the-art transport system that is significantly faster, safer, cleaner, and more environmentally friendly than all other forms of public transport in the city, It is a game-changer for Peshawar,” according to Xiaohong Yang, ADB country director for Pakistan. The system was jointly financed by the ADB, French Development Agency (AFD) and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Fayaz Khan, CEO of TransPeshawar, the company responsible for operating and maintaining Zu Peshawar, said the transportation system is creating a healthy lifestyle by providing sidewalks, bike lanes, and unique bicycle sharing system for some areas.
