PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit System (BRT) has been ranked as Gold Standard Service by the Technical Committee of BRT Standard for its exceptional services to the people of Peshawar.
Gold Standard is the highest internationally recognised standard that any BRT system can achieve. The Technical Committee of BRT Standard comprises globally renowned experts that evaluate world-class BRT systems based on international best practices.
A formal ceremony was organised at the Chief Minister’s Office on Thursday with Provincial Minister Higher Education Kamran Khan Bangash as chief guest. KP MPA Syed Fakhar Jehan, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Transport, CEO TransPeshawar, CCPO Peshawar, member of International BRT standard committee, representatives of ADB and AFD, and other dignitaries also attended the ceremony.
Mr Bangash said it was a matter of great honour for the city of Peshawar, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government that Pakistan had achieved the world highest possible ranking in BRT, becoming the first in the sub-continent, third Asian and seventh country worldwide to receive Gold Standard Service ranking award.
Peshawar BRT received the award due to its passenger-oriented services, bus routes, adopting clean technology, improving safety, promoting non-motorized traffic and utilization of all possible and maximum resources to facilitate the public.
He also appreciated the sincere and dedicated efforts of the government officials and the BRT service providers for their untiring and continuous efforts resulting in this big achievement. He further said that the achievement had undoubtedly made Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa proud.
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He said Peshawar BRT was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on August 13, 2020 with an aim to revolutionize the public transport system in Peshawar and its success could be seen from the commuters’ trust which had surpassed the number of 250,000 commuters on daily basis, out of which 20% were women and 60% low-income class.
During the event, Dr Walter Hook, member of the technical committee of the BRT Standard shared that BRT Peshawar was consistent in almost all respects in international best practices.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Trans Peshawar Fayyaz Khan said since the start of BRT operations, more than 71.2 million people had traveled in it, and keeping in view the public interest in the project, the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had ordered 86 new buses to start more routes.
He further stated getting the award was only the beginning and TransPeshawar would ensure to maintain the Gold Standard by delivering high standard services to the commuters. He also thanked the BRT commuters as their trust in the system was a major contributing factor in the success of Peshawar BRT.
