Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a new public transport system with air-conditioned buses, gets an honourable mention in the Sustainable Transport Award 2022.

Each year, the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and the Sustainable Transport Award Committee select a city that has implemented innovative sustainable transportation projects in the preceding year.

Read more: BRT Peshawar services to resume from October 25

“These strategies improve mobility for all residents, reduce transportation greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, and improve safety and access for cyclists and pedestrians,” said the Sustainable Transport Award on its website.

“The winning city and honourable mentions are honoured in a virtual ceremony hosted in February of the winning year.”

Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar took to Twitter and lauded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for getting international recognition.

Well done KP govt for getting international recognition for the sustainable impact of peshawar BRT. Congratulations to @IMMahmoodKhan and @PervaizKhattak pic.twitter.com/EFi9SWL8hj

— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) December 2, 2021

“Now where will all those detractors and critics hide when their baseless allegations stand exposed?” asked Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari on Twitter.

Now where will all those detractors & critics hide when their baseless allegations stand exposed? pic.twitter.com/TqUfeTm5hr

— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) December 2, 2021

Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) also congratulated the K-P government.

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Congrats @TransPeshawar for #BRTPeshawar / #ZuPeshawar winning honourable mention in the 2022 global #SustainableTransportAward for improving mobility of residents, reducing transportation greenhouse and air pollution emissions. https://www.bolnews.com/latest/2021/12/brt-peshawar-gets-honourable-mention-in-sustainable-transport-award-2022/amp/ @CMKPUpdates #Peshawar pic.twitter.com/DvV7GLlF5O

— ADBPakistan (@PakistanADB) December 1, 2021

Peshawar has a population of about 2 million, according to the latest census, many of whom travel around the city using informal public transport.

The K-P government devoted Rs670 million to taking old buses off the road and encouraging citizens to switch to the BRT system to tackle Peshawar’s traffic and toxic smog problem.

Read more: No action against K-P govt yet despite Rs75billion loss in Peshawar BRT 

Those vehicles, mainly pickup trucks and large and medium-sized buses from the 1980s and 1990s, account for more than 40% of the city’s traffic, according to the Asian Development Bank, which also funded the BRT system.

Authorities claim that the new diesel-electric hybrid buses produce half the climate-heating carbon emissions of conventional buses.