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The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is preparing to introduce the Islamabad electric tram service, marking a major advancement toward modern and eco-friendly public transport.
CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa confirmed the decision following a meeting with officials from the National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) on Thursday.
He said the Islamabad electric tram service project would start with a comprehensive feasibility study, following the directives issued by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
“We are proceeding step-by-step. Electric buses are already operating, and now we’re focusing on adding electric trams,” Randhawa told a national publication. “Today, we officially agreed to initiate a feasibility study.”
According to a CDA press release, the meeting discussed launching Soft Wheel Electric Trams and enhancing the existing electric feeder bus network. The CDA chairman instructed relevant departments to expedite the feasibility study, targeting Islamabad’s busiest transport corridors for the initial routes.
Sources within the authority indicated that a Chinese consultancy is likely to be engaged to conduct the study. Preliminary plans for the Islamabad electric tram service include four potential routes, such as Rawat to Faisal Mosque via the Expressway, and Jinnah Square to Islamabad International Airport via Srinagar Highway.
Although Islamabad has proposed mass transit projects in the past, including a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in collaboration with China Railway, those plans were never realized. However, officials emphasized that this time, the Islamabad electric tram service is a serious priority, with determined efforts to ensure its completion.
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