Quantifying The Accessibility Of Public Transport Islamabad

Abstract

Rapid increase in the population is one of the basic reasons for the extension of Islamabad, where masses have been provided with all sort of multidimensional living standards. These standards are leading towards urbanization. Urbanization is a powerful trend in Pakistan and one of the vital functions in a city is the urban transport system. It is essential that Pakistan possesses the techniques and skills necessary for efficient urban transport planning. Accessibility to public transport is the prime need by all efficient means. Improving accessibility to employment, education, health, and other urban services is necessary for socioeconomic development of the society. Although the rate of motorization is increasing in developing countries, the bulk of the urban poor in the developing world do not have the means to afford private motorized transport. The urban poor rely on public transit for trips that require motorized transport. Thus, public transit plays a critical role in sustaining and improving the welfare of urban poor by providing mobility to millions. The past few decades have witnessed a continuous disinvestment in public transit by Governments in Pakistan who have cut public services in an attempt to balance their books. When the government funded mass transit disappeared from the streets, the private sector stepped in to provide transit service, which left much to be desired in terms of efficient provision of quality service and safety. Public transport is always an important component of the total urban transport system. This is not least the case in city like Islamabad where the access to a private vehicle is limited. The present public transport system is almost totally dominated by the private sector only little remains of the services provided by the public sector. As in other countries, this presents both advantages and problems. Being non-subsidized, fare box revenues pay for the operations, and this implies that the system is not a financial burden for the cities. However, with fragmented services carried out by a large number of individually operated small vehicles, the system is not easily coordinated and not always efficient from an overall perspective. Using a practical study approach, field surveys, research oriented case study analysis and according to project scope, this project focuses on the accessibility concerns of the lower and Middle-income groups in the Islamabad Area. The study area comprises the urban parts of the federal capital, Islamabad, and the abutting urban areas of the neighboring city, Rawalpindi. This project documents the opportunities and constraints resulting from accessibility of public transit in general, and bus franchising in particular, related to Islamabad areas