LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) claims that it has been taking all possible steps to ensure safety of workers employed for the Orange Line train project.

“Strict adherence to safety standards by the labourers as well as contractors is ensured during execution of work on Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project (LOMTP) which is also monitored by the representatives of the China Engineering Consultants (CEC) for ensuring work and safety management as per international standard,” it says in a statement.

LOMTP is the first ever mass transit project of Pakistan wherein a number of new things are being implemented for the first time in the country. However, safety of workers and passerby motorists has been accorded top priority in this project by taking all possible steps in this regard. “Comprehensive safety plans have been chalked out for every stage of implementation of work and the contractors have been directed to strictly abide by to the safety instructions. Dedicated safety supervisory teams, comprising officers of NESPAK, LDA, district administration and Rescue 1122 regularly carry out safety inspections at site. These teams are mandated to halt the work, wherever required, in case of lapse of the labour in following safety instructions and to rectify any shortcoming in implementation of the safety plans,” it says.

The LDA further says the labourers and subcontractors are directed to follow safety guidelines first and wear all protective gears such as helmet, reflective jackets, construction boots etc. before starting the work. Besides, Rescue 1122 has been engaged to impart Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) trainings to contractor labours and personnel of relevant departments working on the project.

According to the officials, a weekly meeting under the chairmanship of assistant commissioner of the respective area is held at Site Camp to review the implementation status and suggest further improvements in HSE plans for the workers and general public.

Representatives of all departments engaged in the project attend the meetings and present their progress of general work and safety issue. Lapses in safety plans (if any) are pinpointed during the meeting by attendants and instructions are issued to the department concerned to resolve the matter immediately.

It says the city has been dug up for the last two years due to litigation by certain quarters on different matters of this project which include heritage sites. This stoppage of work at different places along the route due to litigation has increased their proneness to accidents while commuting along it.

The deaths resulted directly from construction-related activities in the last two years are seven. Another four fatalities were caused by traffic accidents along the route caused by the construction activities. Seven more died when a wall of an adjacent factory collapsed on the labour camp of the contractor and seven died when their residential camp caught fire.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2017