High road density of any country is imperative for good connectivity between cities and localities, ensuring seamless flow between goods/services and their clients. Pakistan has an impressive 263,775 kilometers network of roads and highways. The national highways of the nation are 12,131 kilometers in length and carry the bulk of the national trade traffic.
In addition to the national freight, Pakistan will now be host to a large volume of international freight traffic which will move through the length of the country as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The road network of Pakistan will play the biggest role in the economic growth of the country in the coming years. IDAP will be a cornerstone in the realization and achievement of this goal.
As of 2011, 60% of total trips in Lahore and 50% of total trips in Karachi are made by non-motorized transport. 9,632,000 trips are made in Lahore daily demonstrating the importance and need of public transport and related infrastructure in Pakistan. The Metro Bus System in Lahore and Rawalpindi is a major public transport infrastructure that caters to the needs of thousands of commuters every day. The Lahore Metro carries more than 150,000 passengers every day whereas the Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metro Bus is catering to the needs of 135,000 passengers a day. Besides these, rickshaws, wagons, taxis and transport buses are commonly used for inter-city and intra-city transport.
Pakistan Railways is another source of transportation in Pakistan that has a mass scale traffic movement both for passengers and freight. The network of Pakistan Railways comprises of 7,791 route kilometers, 452 locomotives, 1,732 passengers’ coaches and 15,948 freight wagons. In line with the Government’s vision 2025, for infrastructure development during the next ten years, Pakistan Railways is to undertake necessary steps to increase its share in the overall transport sector of Pakistan from 4% to 20%.
IDAP will play a major role in achieving a better public transport system and related infrastructure.