LAHORE, March 7: Delhi Metro Rail Service Managing Director Dr E Sreedharan has declared the first phase of the light rail transit system in Lahore a viable project, suggesting some measures to improve it.

In an interview with Dawn here on Wednesday, Dr Sreedharan said Lahore should have a light rail system because it could not manage its 8.5 million population’s movement without it.

The Indian official was invited by the Punjab government for his expert opinion on the $8billion project of running the light rail in the city on four routes.

On Tuesday, he inspected the first priority line’s route from Greenland (Shahdara) to Hamza Town (near Chungi Amar Sadhu). On Wednesday, he shared his expertise with Transport Minister Pir Ghulam Mohayuddin and senior officials of his department. He also called on Chief Secretary Salman Siddique to exchange his views on the project and share his own experience of running the same system in Delhi.

The proposed rail service is the main part of the Lahore Mass Transit System (LRMTS). The project will be executed with the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank. Officials expect that the first train will be operational in 2012. The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to be held in June next.

Dr Sreedharan called the project a well-conceived scheme aimed at introducing an absolutely needed facility to Lahore. He said the project would prove a success if it was executed properly after fine-tuning.

In his view, the implementation of the project (the first line) would face no major technical difficulty because the soil condition en route was good and roads were wide, having room for underground construction without creating any serious inconvenience to the city.

Dr Sreedharan said the government must take a final decision about the funding of the project. It should also decide whether the project would be handled by one of its departments or a private company. “A legal cover is also required through the assembly,” he said.

He said the government would need permission from the owners of private buildings to dig underground or to acquire land, which should be done through a legal procedure.

He said the government would also need a law to operate and maintain the system and to ensure its safety. The system should be duty exempt for its several metro stations and depots through a law to reduce its maintenance cost, he said.

He said the metro rail service project in Delhi was completed in seven years — 1998 to 2005 — instead of the specified 10 years.

The rail covered 65kms providing an excellent transport system to the city besides ridding it of immense air pollution which was being caused by transport, he said.

He said initially people used to object to the high cost of the project but time had proved that it was necessary for the city. The rail service had also brought about a positive cultural change in Delhi, teaching people to form queues to board the train, he said.

The minimum fare was Rs6 and the maximum Rs22 which was economical. “You also need to keep the fare reasonable,” he said.

The plan to introduce a light rail system in Lahore was made in the 80s in the light of a feasibility report prepared by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. It was taken up for implementation after Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi showed a keen interest in it in 2005. In response, the planning and development board got prepared a fresh study of the project from a Hong Kong-based firm selected through an international tender.

According to the study completed last year, around 30,000 people could travel by the train in one hour, resolving the ever-growing transport problems of the city.

The proposed first line will cover 27kms from Shahdara to Hamza Town, having 22 stations. This project will be completed at an estimated cost of $2.4 billion.

The system will be operated on the ground from Ravi Bridge to Bhati Chowk and underground from Bhati Chowk to Kot Lakhpat via Lower Mall, The Mall, Queens Road and Ferozepur Road.

The second line will cover Railway Station to Thoker Niaz Beg via McLeod Road, GPO, Chauburji and Multan Road. —Intikhab Hanif