KP to establish 'Urban Mobility Authority'

The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is going to establish KP Urban Mobility Authority to develop the urban transport polices based on quantitative assessments of need and in accordance with international best practising having regard to local conditions.
The authority shall be a corporate body having perpetual succession and a common seal shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be assigned to it by the provincial Government from time to time, for the establishment and regulation of mass transit system.
For the purpose of the establishment of such authority, the provincial assembly has already passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Mass Transit Bill, 2016.
The authority without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing powers and functions may exercise the jurisdiction over public transport vehicle and route permits within the area of responsibility.
The newly established public sector entity may also prepare a road map for a period of five years. Plans, strategies and documentation of investment projects in sufficient detail into declared projects status for the approval of Government which will be evidence based, reflect sound technical analysis, report on achievements during the previous five years, propose sustainable sector targets for the next five years, establish Government annual investment priorities for the sector and other items as required by government within the ambit of the Act concerned.
It will also arrange studies, surveys, experiments and technical research, financially and environmentally sustainable urban transport plans with respect to mass transit system and ancillary matters to be made for undertaken and contribute towards the cost of such studies, surveys, experiments or technical research made or undertaken by any other agency, authority and private body or department of government.
The authority will also have to implement change or divert and cause of various transport routes, structures or alignment and take such steps as may be necessary or useful in the construction and reconstruction, repair, maintenance and operation of mass transit system and other modes of transportation.
It will also be responsible for assisting and making recommendations to the concerned agencies to ensure traffic discipline for all the public transport vehicles as it may consider necessary; devise and implement policies aimed at ensuring that public transport vehicles used for mass transit system to meet the required safety and quality standards; seek and obtain advice and assistance from government or any agencies within or outside the province for the preparation and execution of an urban transport plan, strategy, roadmap or project connected with its function and purpose.
The authority may also examine the plans for all land use master plans, schemes and projects primarily related to infrastructure and land use but not limited to that initiated by any department or authority of the provincial Government, as to ensure their compatibility, suitability and sustainability with present and future mass transit systems, schemes and projects. In this respect, the authority will assist the relevant departments of the provincial government to the extent of mass transit system, planning and infrastructure and issue no objection certificates for the master plans in accordance with long term plans, strategies, roadmaps and projects pertaining to mass transit systems.
Similarly, the proposed authority may also assign the implementation, operation, management and maintenance of declared projects to an Urban Transport Company, assign a declared project to an Urban Transport Company, which shall be upon formal notification signed by the chairman, and five members, one of which shall be Secretary to Finance Department and containing common seal of the authority; maintain the currency of the assigned declared project until such time as government directs or on the basis of evidence submitted by the authority that the Urban Transport Company is unable to fulfil its obligations in respect of the assigned declared project, the assignment for that declared project be withdrawn and responsibility for that declared project be revert back to the authority or another Urban Transport Company.
The authority may also issue accreditation certificates to adequately trained drivers and other officers and officials for employment in mass transit system; ensure safe, secure and clean mass transit system and the effective protection of its right of way and property, including co-ordination with government to depute security personnel, police, including traffic police to maintain traffic in an orderly condition on the mass transit area; acquire, hold and dispose of all assets in accordance with legal procedure and provisions of the Act.,