A parliamentary delegation recently visited the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and met with the Mayor of Amman, Engineer Omar Maani, to be briefed on GAM’s plans and projects in the field of public transport, as best serves the citizens of the Capital.
Eng. Maani stated that GAM has started modernizing the public transport system from different angles, namely, renewing the operating lines, replacing the old buses in phases, furnishing the streets, and devising projects like the high-frequency buses project and the light-rail project.
The meeting took place at GAM headquarters, and the visiting delegation were comprised of MPs Ziad Al Shweikh, Marzouq Al D’ajeh, Sanad Al Na’emat, Saleh Al Jubour, Falek Al Jam’ani, Yousef Al Bustanji, and Mohammad Al Kouz “Abu Al Ra’ed.” During the gathering, the Mayor explained that since assuming control of the public transport sector 1 year and 8 months ago, GAM has resolved to implement the ideal methods to achieve a qualitative leap in Amman’s public transport system.
Eng. Maani added, “In 2007, the Greater Amman Municipality signed a contract with Dar Al Handaseh, a consulting company specializing in the field of local and international transport, to study the existing transport system in Amman. Recommendations have revealed that street networks, intersections, and tunnels in the Capital can be increased, and that the problem lies in the citizens’ understanding and use of public transport.”
He pointed out that the number of cars to enter Jordan this summer through borders has reached 450 thousand cars, 75 percent of which entered the Capital and were focused in urban envelops like Jubeiha and Abu Nseir.
Eng. Maani added, “The regions on the edges of Amman will be receiving 35 mini-buses during Ramadan, and 116 new buses will be operational by the end of this year.”
Additionally, he stated that 75 percent of the buses that are operated by Al Mutakamileh Company offer payment services via magnetic or smart cards.
With regards to the streets furnishing project, the Mayor of Amman explained that the project is expected to be completed in a year and a half, as a tender has been awarded to a Jordanian company, in collaboration with a foreign company, to establish 700 bus stops, which are on par with international standards and are equipped with maps of the main bus line routes.
Eng. Maani clarified that the second angle for modernizing the public transport system is the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project; these high-frequency buses accommodate 50-180 passengers and travel along special rail lanes in the middle of the street that are separate from main streets, and are 30 kilometers long. This project necessitates rehabilitating the streets and establishing stops, pedestrian bridges, and complete infrastructure.
Within this context, the Mayor indicated that the final designs for the BRT project have been awarded, including engineering designs, bus specifications and numbers, and plans for the rehabilitation of (bus) complexes, including Sweileh and Al Mahata.
Eng. Maani reaffirmed the important role of the multi-passenger taxi lines currently operating within GAM’s transport system, pointing out that these lines play a vital part in transporting citizens from residential areas, especially those on side streets, to the nearest public transport stop.
From another angle, the Mayor pointed to the 41 kilometer-long light-rail project, the third angle for modernizing the public transport system; the tender for studying the project is expected to be awarded at the end of August, and will be completed a year later. Work on the project, and the implementation of the rail lines, is predicted to start by 2011. Furthermore, GAM has expropriated several locations for establishing stations and designating routes for the light-rail.
On behalf of the visiting delegation, MP Ziad Al Shweikh commended GAM’s endeavors and efforts to modernize the public transport system, which, he stated, would contribute to easing traffic congestion. He also expressed the delegation’s appreciation of the time frame needed for these projects to be completed.
At the end of the parliamentary-GAM gathering, Eng. Maani responded to the delegation’s questions, queries, and notes about the projects’ estimated time frame, the increase of stone saws and brick factories in Al Muwaqar, traffic congestion at the edges of Amman, maintenance and lighting of pedestrian bridges, the rehabilitation and maintenance of pavements, and the problem of wedding halls causing traffic jams.
Eng. Maani stated that GAM was working on finding alternate locations for the saws and factories by the end of this year in all regions of the Capital, which comply with specifications relating to wind speed and distance from residential areas, indicating that the quarry and factory owners were being granted a two year deadline to transfer to the new location.
The Mayor indicated that GAM was organizing a campaign to rehabilitate and maintain pedestrian bridges and increase lighting on them, and to install handrails on median islands, forcing pedestrians to use the bridges.
On the subject of wedding halls, Eng. Maani elucidated that GAM has stopped issuing licenses for establishing new halls.