Due to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s inability to release its payments totaling more than Rs750 million, the private business managing the BRT, Bus Rapid Transit has chosen to halt operation as of June 7 (Wednesday).
The operator threatened to shut down services in a letter addressed to provincial authorities on June 3, should the government fail to pay the operator Rs754 million by today (Monday).
BRT will not resume till clearance of payments
The operator stated in the letter that it had been waiting “three to four months” for the payment. It had also claimed that “funds are available in TransPeshawar’s (TPC) bank account” yet the payment was still being held up.
“This delay has an adverse effect on the operational expenses (procurement of diesel, lubricants and parts, related to electricity and salaries) to the company for the BRT Peshawar operation,” the operator said in the letter.
Back then, the provider assured the government that it would keep the service running until the following Tuesday.
In the event that Transpeshawar (TPC) does not discharge the delayed payment of PKR 754 Million on Monday, we will be forced to cease the BRT Peshawar operation beginning on Wednesday, June 7th, 2023. The operator emphasised the considerable financial strain that the nonpayment had caused the business.
Due to the expiration of the leasing agreement with the authorities in October 2022, the province government stopped making payments to the operator of the Peshawar port. Since the corporation has not yet completely vacated the terminal, the government is unwilling to release the fees.
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