PESHAWAR: Commercial centers built as part of the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project have failed to attract businesses and generate profit. As a result, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is forced to provide billions of rupees in subsidies each year. Moreover, several large depots are still under construction, preventing commercial activities.
 The BRT project includes shops built in various underpasses, as well as large shopping malls planned for Chamkani, Hayatabad, and Dabgari depots. However, commercial activity has not yet begun at any of the three depots.
On the other hand, the commercial centers in the BRT underpasses are deserted. Shops built in underpasses at Tehkal, Gulbahar, and other locations have been empty for the past three years, as no one is renting them due to “flawed” policies of the authorities.Â
The provincial government had hoped that these centers would generate significant revenue for the BRT, but this has not yet happened. TransPeshawar, the company that operates the BRT, needs billions of rupees in annual subsidies to cover its expenses. Trans Peshawar has demanded a grant from the provincial government to cover the costs of the BRT’s commercial centers, which are not operating. These costs include salaries for employees, service expenses, and other expenses.
According to sources, the provincial government has not yet been able to provide funds to Trans Peshawar due to financial difficulties. As a result, the company may be forced to lay off employees and close some feeder routes to reduce costs.
