PM felicitates KP govt as BRT Peshawar ranked 'Gold Standard Service'

Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday congratulated Khyber Pakhunkhwa Government after Peshawar BRT recognised as a Gold Standard BRT service by the International Technical Standard Committee.

According to details, PM Imran Khan took to Twitter and felicitated the KP government and said, Congratulations to KP govt. Peshawar BRT recognised as a Gold Standard BRT service by the International Technical Standard Committee of the BRT scoring a 97 out of 100 - meaning it is consistent in almost all respects with international best practices.

Congratulations to KP govt. Peshawar BRT recognised as a Gold Standard BRT service by the International Technical Standard Committee of the BRT scoring a 97 out of 100 - meaning it is consistent in almost all respects with international best practices. https://t.co/sJWFhVOZVc

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 18, 2022

The premier, in another tweet, said, Peshawar BRT has revolutionised public transport system in the city & since the start of its operations in Aug 2020 more than 71 million people have travelled in it. Over 250,000 commuters ride it on daily basis out of which 20% are women & 60% are from low-income groups.

Peshawar BRT has revolutionised public transport system in the city & since the start of its operations in Aug 2020 more than 71 million people have travelled in it. Over 250,000 commuters ride it on daily basis out of which 20% are women & 60% are from low-income groups.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 18, 2022

On Thursday, the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit System with its unprecedented services to the citizens of Peshawar has been ranked as Gold Standard Service by the Technical Committee of BRT Standard.

Gold Standard is the highest internationally recognized standard that any BRT system can achieve.The Technical Committee of The BRT Standard comprises globally renowned experts on BRT that evaluates world-class bus rapid transit BRT based on international best practices.

A formal ceremony was organized here at the Chief Minister’s Office on Thursday with Provincial Minister Higher Education Kamran Khan Bangash as chief guest.

Besides, Member Provincial Assembly Syed Fakhar Jehan, Additional Chief Secretary, Secretary Transport, CEO TransPeshawar, CCPO Peshawar, DG PDA, Deputy Commissioner Peshawar, MD KPUMA, member of International BRT standard committee, representatives of ADB and AFD and other dignitaries also attended the ceremony.

Minister Kamran 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 Bus Rapid Transit and become the first in the Sub-continent, third Asian and seventh country worldwide to receive Gold Standard Service Ranking Award.

Peshawar BRT is recipient of this award due to its passenger-oriented services, bus routes based on passenger needs, adopting clean technology for buses, improving safety, promoting non-motorized traffic and utilization of all possible and maximum resources to facilitate the public at large.

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.

Peshawar BRT, he said, 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 the 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 in the city.

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 successes of Peshawar BRT.