The development objective of Greater Beirut Public Transport Project for Lebanon is to improve the speed, quality and accessibility of public transport for passengers in Greater Beirut and at the city of Beirut’s northern entrance.

The project has three components.

1. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) infrastructure, fleet, and systems, aims to finance goods, works, and consulting services for detailed design, construction, and supervision of the BRT infrastructure on the Northern Highway and outer ring road of Beirut including stations, terminals, depots, park and ride facilities, intersections, pedestrian crossings and pedestrian bridges, corridor traffic management system, and so on.
2. Feeder and regular bus services and integration in urban environment, aims to finance goods, works, and services for bus stops and shelters, street furniture, and roadworks as needed along the bus roads.
3. The third component, Capacity building and project management, aims to finance consulting services, firms, or experts, for institutional strengthening for the supervision of BRT/feeder operations at Railways and Public Transport Authority (RPTA) and other relevant agencies.

Risk Assessment: Category A.

The World Bank classifies proposed projects based on the type, location, sensitivity, and scale of the project and the nature and severity of its potential environmental impacts. Category A is assigned to a project only if it is likely to have “significant adverse environmental impacts that are sensitive, diverse or unprecedented.”

APPLICABLE SOCIAL & ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS

Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 - This safeguard is triggered due to the size and nature of the Project and its potential to cause adverse environmental and social impacts that are sensitive, diverse and unprecedented. The project is likely to have impacts on traffic, emissions and air quality, noise, soil and water resources and biodiversity.

Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 - This safeguard is triggered due to a number of cultural heritage sites, including graveyards, which will potentially be affected by the Project. Impacts on archaeological features from any project that involves construction works in Lebanon are always a possibility due to the rich history of the country. Any site works will involve excavation to some degree. 

Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 - This safeguard is triggered because component 1 of the project entails the acquisition of land, through expropriation, resulting in the potential displacement of individuals (residents), loss of land and other private assets and income.

OUR RISK ASSESSMENT

Right to Property & Adequate Housing

According to bank documents, in some areas along the highway in the northern corridor from Nahr el Kalb to Tabarja there is a need to expropriate approximately 235 m2 of private lands to accommodate the pedestrian infrastructure of the stations along the sidewalks. This is likely to disrupt people's right to property. The element of displacing some residents and 60,220m2 of plots to be affected also impacts on this right.

Right to Livelihood

According to bank documents, the existing public transport modes is a source of livelihood for many individuals and source of profit to private operators. The introduction of the BRT system will impact the existing services through the shift of passengers to the new system. Hence, there will be a significant impact on the income and livelihood of the existing operators. The element of displacing some residents and business persons also impacts on this right.

Right to a Healthy Environment

According to bank documents, certain construction techniques such as pile driving would generate high, impulsive noise levels that would be substantially higher than existing noise levels and would exceed the absolute noise level limits established by local jurisdictions. This noise will likely disturb people living and conducting businesses nearby the work sites.

Right to Water

According to bank documents, impacts from potential accidental spills or leaks of chemicals and fuels have been determined to be highly propable. The main rivers running east-west and passing under the BRT path have been identified to be the main nearby receptor to surface water pollution from the BRT. There is likely to be impacts on groundwater and water bodies from the construction activities. 

Implementing Agency:
Council for Development and Reconstruction
Wafaa Charafeddine
Funding Division Director
wafac@cdr.gov.lb

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. You can learn more about the Inspection Panel and how to file a complaint at: http://ewebapps.worldbank.org/apps/ip/Pages/Home.aspx.