Faisalabad – Unbridled population growth, rural-to-urban migration, and the rising number of vehicles have made our major cities suffocating, as smog engulfs them at the onset of every winter, exposing thousands to serious health issues. Faisalabad, the third-largest city in the country with over four million urban residents, is also a victim of this phenomenon, with thousands of smoke-emitting vehicles on its roads creating a stuffy and polluted environment, resulting in health and travel issues.
Pollution from loaders, buses, cars, bikes, and rickshaws—many of which use substandard fuel—along with emissions from brick kilns and industrial units releasing smoke, liquid, and solid waste, cumulatively makes life miserable for residents. Improper implementation of environmental laws, poor urban planning, and the absence of a mass transit system further exacerbate this situation.
Experts suggest solutions such as strict action against environmentally polluting vehicles and industrial units, and they advocate for a holistic traffic and mass transit system to relieve people from the nuisance of QingQi rickshaws. Although the current road transport system in the city appears uncontrollable, past experiences show that regulation in this sector has led to varying degrees of success.
“Tasneem Noorani, the Commissioner of Faisalabad in the early 1990s, was the pioneer in upgrading the city’s master plan and regulating buildings and urban transport. His initiative of the Faisalabad Urban Transport System (FUTS) was widely appreciated,” said Rana Munir Ahmed, a retired government official. “This legacy was carried forward by Deputy Commissioner Naseem Sadiq.”
“Now, once again, the city desperately needs a well-planned mass transit system to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, control traffic congestion, and facilitate commuters,” he said. “It would also help reduce vehicular emissions and pollution.”
The existing urban transport system was launched in 1994 on 20 routes as a cheap and affordable service for nearly 1.7 million Faisalabad residents. However, in the absence of proper follow-up, this system deteriorated as the population grew to four million, leading to increased congestion and pollution.
The gap created by the insufficiency of urban transport was filled by QingQi rickshaws, an irritating and problematic mode of travel that not only disrupted the traffic system but also harmed the environment. Similarly, a government project involving large buses, launched in 1999 on major city roads, gradually faded away, once again shifting passenger loads to the private sector’s small wagons and rickshaws.
Recognizing the deteriorating situation, the current Punjab government is planning another systematic mass transit system to address the traffic and pollution issues in a city once called the ‘Manchester of Pakistan.’
“Metro bus service would be a mega, affordable, and comfortable intra-city transport facility for the residents,” informed Chaudhary Muhammad Asif, Managing Director (MD) of the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA). “The present Punjab government has planned to run metro buses on 35 routes under a project to be completed in phases.”
He stated that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to fund this project, which is estimated to cost Rs. 70 billion, aiming to provide an affordable and respectable mode of travel for middle-class and low-income groups.
“Initial work on this project is being completed in consultation with stakeholders. The FDA will execute it, and the government will provide 100 vehicles to operate on eight routes with heavy passenger loads,” Asif said. “This network of environmentally friendly buses can later be extended to other routes.”
According to a local administration spokesperson, the initial eight routes identified for these buses include: Gattwala Bridge to Bholay Di Jhuggi, Rehmat Abad to Montgomery Bazaar, Gattwala Bridge to Canal Station, Faisal Town to Rajbah Road, Montgomery Bazaar to Sadhar Bypass, Rail Bazaar to Chak Jhumra, and Satiana Bypass to Rajbah Road.
In the second phase, eight more routes will be added, including Millat Road to Bakkar Mandi Road, Chak Jhumra to Bholay Di Jhuggi, Diyal Garh to Millat Road, Rail Bazaar to D-Ground, Chaman Zar Colony to Chak No. 8, Rajbah Road to Bibi Jaan Road, Allied Morr to new Sabzi Mandi, and Muslim Town to Rajbah Road.
“In the remaining three phases, 370 standard buses will be added to this system to cover 35 routes within a 40-kilometer radius of the city,” the spokesperson explained.
As mass transit systems are often viewed skeptically by private transporters, there are concerns about losing business and a desire for a shared mechanism that includes their participation.
“The government should devise a comprehensive transport system based on public-private partnerships,” opined Anwar Khan, a wagon owner. “Faisalabad is a congested metropolis unsuitable for big buses, and this experiment has failed in the past.”
While his concerns may hold some validity, they also seem to reflect the interests of those who fear losing their monopoly. If a metro bus service can be successfully operated in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Peshawar, and Karachi, then why not establish a mass transit system in Faisalabad?
Therefore, the government should swiftly advance this project to alleviate the suffering of the masses, as traffic on city roads currently feels unmanageable, leaving traffic wardens powerless against the overwhelming load.
