National University of Science and Technology

Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit

A comparative Analysis

Course: Project Management

Instructor: Dr Mujtaba Agha

Amina Saeed, Maryam Imran Malik, Ume Salama Rizwan, Zoya Omer.

BS Eco A 2k15
th
6 June, 2017.

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 INTRODUCTION

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a system of territorial network. CPEC won't just profit China and Pakistan but
will have positive effect on Iran, Afghanistan, India and Central Asian Republic. This project will upgrade the land
linkages by providing with enhanced street, rail and air transportation framework.

Vision

To improve the lives of people of Pakistan and China by building an economic corridor that promotes bilateral
connectivity, potential investment and economic growth. This corridor will also improve regional connectivity.

The CPEC projects include:

Integrated Transport & IT systems including Road, Rail, Port, Air and Data Communication Channels, Energy
cooperation, Spatial layout, functional zones, industries and industrial parks, Agricultural development & poverty
alleviation, Tourism cooperation & people to people communication, Cooperation in livelihood areas, Financial
cooperation and Human Resource Development.

Integrated Transport & IT systems including Road, Rail, Port, Air- Bus Rapid Transit

The reasons behind investing in an integrated transport network are to facilitate the country’s population
along with providing a tourist friendly, high quality public transport.

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high quality, high capacity bus-based mass transit option for rapidly growing cities.
BRT delivers fast, reliable and cost-effective mobility through the provision of segregated lanes, enclosed stations,
rapid and frequent operations. BRT fare based on fare collection stationary entry rather than on buses and excellent
passenger information systems. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) provides sufficient transport capacity to meet demands in
many corridors, even in the largest metropolitan regions.

Peshawar Region Mass Transit -BRT Peshawar

The objective of this project is the development of a sustainable bus rapid transit corridor to help improve Peshawar’s
urban transport system and facilitate the residents of Peshawar city by resolving the logistical difficulties
faced by them on a daily basis.

This research paper carries out a comparative assessment of BRT Peshawar with the completed projects of the
developed and underdeveloped countries.

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 LITERATURE REVIEW

Recent Developments in Bus Rapid Transit

Bus ‐rapid transit (BRT), characterized by modern vehicles, dedicated busway‐ and applications of intelligent
transportation systems (ITS) technologies, and is increasingly considered as a cost effective approach of providing ‐ a
high quality transport service. Many cities across the world have recently launched ambitious programs of BRT
system implementation with varying success ‐. BRT systems offer an innovative approach to providing a high quality
transport service, comparable to a rail service but at a relatively low cost and short implementation time. In common
with other forms of mass transit, a full featured BRT has the potential to offer significant effects on land
development; this research paper also indicates that more work is needed in order to investigate this issue.

The Study of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System

The paper is a piece of a continuous research extends on activity administration systems for Peshawar Pakistan. A
review of all the current open transport stops on University Road Peshawar led for recognizable proof of transport
path. Top hour request was ascertained as far as genuine Passengers every hour per bearing (Pphpd) along the whole
passageway which acts a warrant test for the arrangement of a different path for open transport vehicles in Bus
Rapid Transit (BRT) System. Immersion Levels and dwell times (sec) at each stop both for transports and for
wagons using frequency, freedom time, measure of loading up and landing travelers and trip time of existing open
transport framework were analyzed. From information investigation, the Saturation Levels and dwell times at each
stop were discovered higher than the suggested values for the most part as a result of the hindrance because of
private vehicles before open transport vehicles, a nearly high rate of private vehicles concerning open transport
vehicles and the draw out remain of drivers at bus stops. The Saturation Levels and dwell times (sec) for the
proposed BRT framework was re-broke down. The objective of this research was to investigate the current and
projected passenger demand on University Road by use of innovative infrastructure and proper scheduling to
provide a service that is faster and more frequent than the existing bus/wagon operations.

A Comparative Analysis of Rail Based Rapid Transit and Bus Rapid Transit

In Pakistan, like other countries, the fast urbanization, mechanization and spatial extension prompted a sharp
increase sought by urban transport offices and administrations. Urban communities in Pakistan do not have reliable
access to quality mass travel. The current casual open transport framework can't take care of the expanding travel
demand. Due to absence of good and reliable public transport the roads of the country have been flooded with bikes
and RICKSHAWS. To take care of expanding travel demand and to battle against serious movement clog, extensive
urban communities like Karachi and Lahore have resorted to mass transits.

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Bus Rapid Transit in China

In the past five years, Bus Rapid Transit in China expanded more than in any other region, with 320 km of BRT
systems opening in thirteen cities. While these systems have impressive features, they were all relatively low
capacity, low-to-medium demand systems either in peripheral corridors, or with a low demand design in central
corridors; that is, until the opening of the Guangzhou BRT in February 2010. The Guangzhou BRT carries more
passengers in a single direction than all the subway lines in mainland China, with the exception of the Beijing Line 2
subway, and is in many ways a generational advance on the earlier systems. This article describes the development
trends of BRT in China ranging from the earliest median busway in Kunming in 1999 through to the metro-
replacement level BRT in Guangzhou in 2010. The author’s research identifies a trend towards direct-service
operations rather than 'trunk and feeder' operations, and finishes with a summary of key lessons learned from the
Guangzhou Bus Rapid Transit.

Sustainable Transportation Strategies: China

China's rapidly boosting economic growth and the large population has created a huge demand for road
transportation. There has been a history of traffic congestions, gridlocking with an ongoing increase in the everyday
mode of transport. Therefore, China has adopted a mixed portfolio of transportation options including cars,
motorcycles, hybrid vehicles, bus rapid transit systems (BRT), maglev and bicycles, but with an emphasis on
motorized vehicles. It is building the infrastructure for these vehicles to operate effectively. This research paper
examines the environmental problems caused by this transportation system. It reviews China's transportation
strategies and makes suggestions for making them more ecologically sustainable and effective.

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 BUS RAPID TRANSIT- A COMPARITIVE ANALYSIS

Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit- Pakistan

Things may turn for better or for worse in the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa depending on how the
execution of much-awaited Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

If the Peshawar Sustainable BRT Corridor Project is completed in time, the development can change the face of
Peshawar, but incomplete construction causing inconvenience may turn things for the worse. The project impact will
be sustainable, low carbon, and climate resilient urban transport system in Peshawar. The Peshawar BRT project
would not only resolve the agonizing problem of traffic congestion in the provincial capital, it would also give a
much-needed facelift to the terrorism-torn provincial capital.

The 26km BRT corridor having 31 stations would be running about 14.9km at grade, about 6km at elevated level
and some 4.9km through tunnel. It would also have additional features like 68 kilometers feeder bus route service,
high standard bus stops at about seven feeder routes with shelter and advanced passenger information system. About
383 big and small buses from feeding area would be plying to the main route. Commercial area and one nine -storey
plaza with parking and two three-storey parking plazas are also additional features of this project, officials said.

The Peshawar BRT would start from Chamkani, go along GT Road’s famous spots like Khyber Bazaar, Soekarno
Chowk, Railway Road, Dabgari, Sunehri Masjid Road and onwards passing through a tunnel near Aman Chowk.
The route would then take a left turn before the Bab-i-Peshawar Bridge, go at elevation through dried riverbed to old
sewerage treatment plants and onward to Bagh-i-Naraan, Tatara Park, passing by PDA building and end at Jamrud
Road with Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital as its last stop.

Busy bazaars like Saddar, Khyber and those on the University Road would have the pedestrian and bicycle
infrastructure. Toilets and restrooms at all stations along the corridor would also be constructed.

Expected problems:

1. Existing stops dwell times and Saturation levels are higher than the recommended values to achieve an
acceptable level of service.
2. Scheduling of the trips is very unpredictable in existing public transport system.
3. Due to randomness (Undisciplined stopping for boarding and alighting) and improper management, the
existing public transport system has not the ability to handle the demand comfortably on the corridor.
4. There is the need for the provision of segregated bus lane for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system on the
studied corridor.

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 Guangzhou Bus Rapid Transit - China

Guangzhou, the third largest city after Shanghai and Beijing, is a trade and transport hub in south People’s Republic
of China (PRC). It is one of the megacities in the PRC with a population of more than 10 million people. Several
cities in the country, including Beijing, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Dalian, Chongqing, Jinan, and Changzhou, have put up
BRT systems earlier than Guangzhou, as a solution to worsening traffic congestion and air pollution

Guangzhou has the world's longest BRT stations – around 260m including bridges, at the largest stations. The
world’s highest BRT bus volumes: 350 per hour in a single direction, or roughly 1 bus every 10 seconds. It was the
first BRT system in China to include BRT station bridges connecting directly to adjacent buildings. These various
inter-modal connections (BRT, metro, bike sharing, bike parking, pedestrians, and adjacent buildings) make the
corridor a leading example of multi-modal transport integration. The first BRT system in China with more than one
BRT operator: three corporate groups consisting of seven different bus operating companies all operate BRT routes.
This system measured the station size based on passenger demand, for all stations in the BRT system. Maximum
passenger flows of 26,900 passengers per hour each direction. The Guangzhou BRT already carries more passengers
in a single direction than all of the metro/subway lines in mainland China, with the exception of the Beijing Line 2
subway. With the introduction of 18m BRT buses, the system will likely exceed all mainland China metro systems
within a year Daily ridership of around 800,000 passenger-trips per day on BRT buses (not including trips involving
transfers, which are free in the same direction). This is more than any of Guangzhou's 5 metro lines. Passenger
boarding’s of 8,500 passengers per hour at the biggest morning and evening peak stations; world records for any
BRT station.

Challenges

Traffic gridlock and vehicle pollution Before the Guangzhou BRT was launched in 2010, travel along Zhongshan
Avenue, one of the city's main routes, and was slow because of the rising number of private vehicles on the road.
The public bus system was inefficient. The fast-growing city needed a high-capacity, high-quality mass transit that
could help reduce traffic jams as well as pollution from vehicles. Poor project preparation and planning Some BRT
systems already operating in the PRC were poorly planned and designed. Not enough time or resources were given
to the planning process. A BRT system requires not just a physical design but also a business planning model and
system design to ensure its operational and financial success. Public debate over right-of-way BRT projects in the
PRC has faced strong opposition from the public, particularly car owners who protested the reduced road space for
their vehicles. This includes the BRT lane that opened in Chongqing in 2008, which was thought to have made
traffic congestion worse. The bus way was eventually torn down.

Solutions

Provide cost-efficient, low-carbon alternatives to cars the Guangzhou BRT is at the core of a strategy to promote the
use of mass transit and no motorized transport (e.g., walking, cycling) to improve mobility and air quality in the city.
The 22.5 km BRT corridor at the center of Zhongshan Avenue was designed as part of a multi-modal transport plan,
which includes direct access to the metro system and bicycle parking and bike sharing at stations. Pedestrian-
friendly and accessibility features include public and green spaces on both sides of the BRT corridor, escalators,
wheel-chair lifts, and bridges connecting nearby buildings with the BRT stations.

Lessons

Good project preparation was key to the success of the project. The city government studied successful BRT systems
in South America. With GMEDRI, the local office of ITDP led the planning, design, and implementation from the
conceptual design in 2005 through detailed engineering design and construction. The Guangzhou BRT has seven bus
operators. This has helped introduce competition and improve the quality of service. Reduce transfers for
passengers.

The system has helped improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. ITDP estimates that Guangzhou’s
BRT will reduce an average of 86,000 tons of CO2 annually over its first decade (for a yearly CER value of 19
million Yuan), and 4 tons of particulate matter emissions that cause respiratory illness. The Guangzhou BRT is a
model of highly cost-effective urban transport that should be employed as more cities pursue local and global

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environmental sustainability. Buses operate both inside and outside the BRT corridor, which means fewer transfers for
passengers.

Dates:
2005: Conceptual design.
December 2008: Constructed
February 2010: Start of operations

Institutions and Stakeholders

Financing: Government of the People's Republic of China Planning and design: Institute of Transport and
Development Policy (ITDP) Guangzhou Municipal Engineering Design and Research Institute (GMEDRI)
Executing agency: Guangzhou city government
Operating agency: GZ BRT Management Company and seven private bus companies

Comparison of Peshawar BRT Pakistan with Guangzhou BRT China

Many of the challenges faced by China are recurring in Peshawar’s BRT project. Population increase, overcrowded
roads and scarce resources are some of the issues that these countries face as a whole.

Peshawar is an over populated city with a poor road network. This has led to clogged roads which are flooded by
rickshaws, bikes and private vehicles. The same was the issue in Guangzhou; there was a constant gridlock which
had to be tackled by the BRT. Even a country as developed as China had trouble planning their project. These were
very crucial mistakes, which can be avoided in the Peshawar BRT, if project is planned and prepared accurately.
China used past information and a comparative study with BRT systems in the US to improve efficiency and reduce
risk of failure, which should be our strategy as well, allocating and utilizing time and resources efficiently, keeping
in mind the existing road networks, vehicle count and space.

Pakistan needs to fully utilize its resources and be smart about it as the funding and raw materials are scarce. China
used past information to improve efficiency and reduce risk of failure, research is clearly an important step.

There are a few lessons that Pakistan can learn from China’s trial and errors over the years. China uses multiple
BRT operators which makes the bus service more efficient and uninterrupted. This also gives rise to competition in
the corporate sector. Chinese BRT stations cater to bikes and cycles so that passengers can leave their means of
regular transport in a safe area. This is a very good idea that can be implemented by Pakistan as the majority class
that will use public transport travels on cycles and motorbikes.

Guangzhou Peshawar

Cost USD 146 Million Rs. 41 Billion

Time Frame 5 years Incomplete

Funding Government of the People's

Republic of China Asia Development Bank

Total length of corridor 23 km 26 km

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 Trans Jakarta Bus Rapid Transit – Indonesia

Trans Jakarta is a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was the first BRT system in Southern and
Southeast Asia. Trans Jakarta system began operations on January 25, 2004. Trans Jakarta was designed to provide
Jakarta citizens with a fast public transportation system to help reduce rush hour traffic. The buses run in dedicated
lanes and ticket prices are subsidized by the regional government. About 370,000 passengers travel on this transport
per day. There are 12 corridors established in BRT Indonesia. The total length of this project is 207 km.

Trans Jakarta has the world's longest BRT system (210.31 km in length), with 12 primary routes and 10 cross-
corridor routes.

2004, the first year of Indonesian BRT’s operation, 15.9 million passenger travelled by this system. Along with
Trans Jakarta’s rapid expansion to eight corridors, institutional shortcuts taken have resulted in basic operational
problems that cause severe overcrowding. In 2011, the system achieved the annual peak performance with the buses
carried 114.7 million passengers and then in the next following years the number is declining and in 2014, the buses
carried 111.6 million passengers, while served 102.95 million passengers in 2015. In 2016, a new record of 123.73
million passengers was accomplished. The fare cost of BRT has remained Rp 3,500 (27 US cents) per passenger
since the start of this projects operation. While Trans Jakarta set up 1,056 buses in 2016, it observed a substantial
increase from 605 buses in 2015. This Indonesian BRT owned more than 1,500 buses in the first three months of
2017 and by the end of this year it targets to have around 3,000 buses.

Success Points

Public switched from car and motorbike to BRT which helped in reducing the emission intensity of primary
pollutants such as NOx, PM10 and CO. The operational cost covered by fare revenue after 6 months. There was a 1-
hour reduction in travel time at peak timings for Trans Jakarta passengers. BRT proved to be a way to get people out
of their cars and gave public transport a better image .Security against pickpockets was a key to attracting upper and
middle income.

Problems

A number of design and operational problems have been identified. Despite having an 'exclusive' bus lane,
unauthorized vehicles illegally using the lanes in an attempt to more quickly navigate through the traffic jams are a
common problem. Maintenance workshops and special gas stations often have long lines of buses, restricting the
availability of buses for service. The CNG powered buses also have suffered from higher fuel consumption than
expected and high oil and moisture content requiring extra maintenance. Another drawback was the excessive
demand for transfers which is the need to switch buses from different stations. For the reduction of transfers, as it
was a heating problem for the public, a feeder bus service was introduced in 2012.

Lessons

No clear or enforced structure of making decisions. The contracting and procurement method were non-competitive
and non-transparent. The System was designed vaguely with no reference to potential demand. The system is
operating below its capacity; it only captures 1/3 of potential demand. There is a lack of quality in buses as there are
no corporate businesses involved. The station doors are designed to protect the buses, not passengers. This has
resulted in multiple minor accidents. Good project preparation is key to the success of a project. The city
governments should implement successful BRT systems around the world.

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• Comparison of Peshawar BRT Pakistan with Trans Jakarta BRT Indonesia

The Jakarta bus rapid transit is a 210.31km long project while the length of Peshawar BRT is 26 km long. Jakarta
BRT is a massive transportation project which consists of 12 corridors while Peshawar BRT is comparatively very
small project which is designed of a total of 6 corridors. Both the projects are designed to reduce the traffic burden,
hence people shift from private transport to public transport. Since this project was successful in Indonesia and
helped to solve the problem of heavy traffic jams, reduced the travelling time and also helped in reducing the
pollution and make the air more cleaner, it is assumed and expected that Peshawar BRT will also prove to be at least
this successful. However both the bus projects had completely different completion time. On the one hand Indonesia
BRT was completed in just 8 months while the Peshawar BRT is expected to be completed in 3 years which is quite
a long time as compared to Indonesia.

It can be seen that Indonesian government was comparatively more efficient and used its scarce resources in a very
smart manner. It tried to crash its project as much as possible in order to complete it in minimum time.

While there are some success factors which can be learned from the Indonesian BRT, there are few lessons which
Pakistan government needs to learn from them in order to avoid any hurdles or future problems.

Jakarta BRT did not have a clear or enforced design without which the project cannot be successful; it will not be
able to provide the maximum benefit to the public. Hence Peshawar BRT should make sure that there design is clear.
The main problem that Indonesia BRT faced was that the system was designed with no reference to the potential
demand. The demand was of 12000 passengers while this BRT accommodated only 8000 passengers.

Indonesia Peshawar

Cost USD$2M/km Rs. 41 Billion

Corridors 12 6

Funding Indonesian Government Asia Development Bank

Total length of corridor 210.31 km 26 km

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 Conclusion
The purpose of this report was to show how an emerging project of a developing (Pakistan) country can learn to
tackle the potential obstacles from the success factors and challenges of the projects implemented in the developed
(China) and developing (Indonesia) countries; giving a base for analysis.

From this study, we can say that by keeping in mind the flaws in planning and execution of Guangzhou and Trans
Jakarta BRTs, Peshawar should analyze the potential problems even better for its project.

Learning from these successful projects is very important. The weaknesses, loop holes and mistakes as well as the
success factors that led to project execution need to be studied. The plus points as well the setbacks of both the
projects should thoroughly be taken into account to make Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit internationally aligned and
user friendly for the local passengers.

There were things that China did right, executing their project effectively and making it successful while those were
missed by Indonesia while planning their BRT e.g. Use commercial busses but Indonesia didn't do that due to which
no one cared about the maintenance of the buses as there is no competition. China has bike racks for storage but
Indonesia didn't and because of that Indonesia's BRT is not very user friendly.

This is something that needs to be look into when planning the Peshawar BRT project, for we can see that Indonesia
too being a developing country left so many loopholes while executing its Bus Rapid Transit. No doubt some
problems can be fixed later but why not plan effectively from the very start.

If the government of Pakistan is able to tackle all the expected problems, by carrying out an extensive project
management and implement it effectively, keeping the potential issues consideration, indeed the Peshawar BRT
project would not only resolve the agonizing problem of traffic congestion in the provincial capital, improve the
infrastructure, bringing growth in the industrial market by encouraging competition, and it would also give a much-
needed facelift to the terrorism-torn provincial capital.

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