PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the director general of the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) and summoned him in person on May 20 in a case seeking the launch of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service on Warsak Road and Saddar to Pishtakhara routes.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Inamullah Khan heard the petition while counsel for the Cantonment Board, the additional advocate general, and the petitioner’s lawyer appeared before the court.
The petitioner’s counsel pleaded that despite an official announcement by the provincial government to start BRT service on the specified routes, several years had passed without any progress.
The cantonment board’s lawyer argued that a non-objection certificate for the construction of the BRT route in Saddar was issued to PDA in 2020. Under the agreement, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was required to pay Rs4 billion for the route, but no payment had been made even after six years.
Justice Sahibzada Asadullah questioned why BRT feeder routes in the cantonment area had still not been restored and raised concerns over the delay. He remarked that if the provincial government did not honour the agreement, it raised questions about how the payment obligation would be fulfilled.
The AAG informed the court that certain issues in the NOC issued by the cantonment authorities were causing delays in the service. However, the bench emphasised the need to first resolve the outstanding payment issue before addressing the restoration of the routes.The court directed the DG PDA to appear in person at the next hearing and adjourned proceedings until May 20.
