CM Shahbaz celebrates arrival of Orange-Line Metro in Lahore

E-Paper | September 30, 2026

CM Shahbaz celebrates arrival of Orange-Line Metro in Lahore

Dawn.com Published October 8, 2017

Nearly 0.25 million commuters will travel via Orange Line train daily in Lahore, says Punjab chief minister. —RadioPakistan

Shahbaz Sharif inaugurates the first set of bogies of the Orange-Line Metro during a ceremony at Deera Gujjran. —APP

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Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday inaugurated the first set of bogies that recently arrived from China to be used in Lahore's Orange-Line Metro project, RadioPakistan reported.

Speaking during a ceremony marked to celebrate the arrival of Orange-Line Metro, Sharif said the project upon its completion will provide modern, safe, swift and affordable transport facilities to the commuters.

Nearly 0.25 million commuters will travel via Orange Line train daily in the provincial metropolis, he added.

Shahbaz Sharif inaugurates the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train at Dera Gujran. —Online

Also read: Two officers held for corruption in Orange Line project

The chief minister said that a distance of 27 kilometres from Darogawala to Thokar Niaz Baig will be covered in just 45 minutes.

Sharif pointed out that despite conspiracies being hatched against the development projects, the journey of progress and prosperity will continue successfully.

The scope of civil works on the Orange Line project involves the construction of a 27.1-kilometre metro train corridor, including 25.4km of elevated U-shaped viaducts and 1.72km underground sections, 24 elevated and two underground stations, depots, stabling yards, etc.

Nearly 0.25 million commuters will travel via Orange Line train daily. —Online

The train, with five coaches, an energy-saving air-conditioning system and systems configured to handle unstable voltage, has been produced by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co, Ltd, China.

As for the financing of the Orange-Line Metro project is concerned, a major chunk, Rs150 billion of the Rs165 billion project, will be provided by the Chinese government to Punjab under a soft-loan agreement, outside the financial realm of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In May 2016, the first tranche of the payment totalling around Rs33 billion was released by The Exim Bank of China.

Earlier in April, the Supreme Court was expected to deliver a decisive verdict on a petition, filed by Kamil Khan Mumtaz, regarding damage caused to heritage sites due to the construction of the Orange-Line train.

However, the SC reserved its judgement and asked the Punjab government to file a comprehensive report to the court, detailing measures it would take to address the petitioner's and civil society's concerns over the matter.

CPEC Pak China Ties

Pakistan

Two officers held for corruption in Orange Line project

Govt approves Rs20 billion tax exemptions for Orange Line Metro project in Lahore

rajab

Oct 08, 2017 06:01pm

is this really an event to celebrate. Tomorrow you will celebrate arrival of drivers etc. Please spend public money for their benefits. Not to promote yourself.

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Nadeeem

Oct 08, 2017 06:02pm

Trying morale boosting of people of Lahore who have fed up with construction work around the city.

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Harmony-1©

Oct 08, 2017 06:07pm

Elevated Metro Line bridge is a real eyesore, a lump of concrete running through the middle of the city in a straight line! It has ruined the city. Never anything like that happens in any major cities. A dedicated bus lane on the road along with frequent buses is what you get in European cities. This could have been achieved at fraction of the cost with the rest going on health and education!

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Athar. basit

Oct 08, 2017 06:12pm

Congratulations Lahore, finally Pakistan will witness in the heart of Pakistan a world class means of transportation.

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Ajaz

Oct 08, 2017 06:12pm

What is the use of 27km distance recovery in 45mins.totally drama of another corruption of N league.

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Ahmad

Oct 08, 2017 06:16pm

CM Lahore. Metro in Lahore, roads in Lahore, airport in Lahore, parks in Lahore, university in Lahore, everything in only only Lahore. This stupid guy is making joke of rest of Punjab.

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Qasim

Oct 08, 2017 06:22pm

This project will prove to be one of many blunders the PMLN has committed. Close Rs 200 Billion project, and it's a loan, spent on just 27km stretch! Can you imagine what one can do with Rs 200 billion in Health & Education sector?! How can Pakistan move forward without an educated human resource? No safe drinking water, no free private schools or universities - PMLN is only concerned with mega projects for one reason i.e. COMMISSION. Can easily overcome traffic woes in Lahore with way less budget - by controlling traffic efficiently (traffic wardens are extremely incompetent), widen roads, buy environmentally friendly buses on all routes. No vision at all, only corruption opportunities is what this Govt looks for!

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Shahid

Oct 08, 2017 06:23pm

Had there been transparency where public could judge for itself beyond big billboards and pompous claims reality of financing, safety of heritage, environmental effects, long term viability of such a grand project, there would be no CONSPIRACIES.

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LAFANGA

Oct 08, 2017 06:26pm

Now I can travel daily in metro. I am feeling very excited.

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Oct 08, 2017 06:26pm

I ask: what about education, hospitals, schools, electricity, clean water and job opportunities for all? Yes, we need good transport and infrastructure, but this is secondary, as schools, hospitals, health care, security and jobs are far more important than trains and roads. Mr Shabaz Sharif your priorities are wrong and do not reflect people's needs.

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Fatima

Oct 08, 2017 06:46pm

Punjab government will provide Rs 130 subsidy on every ticket of every passenger that travels on this train. Where will this subsidy come from?

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wellwisher

Oct 08, 2017 06:51pm

those who appreciate metro in Delhi, criticise in Lahore.

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Farrukh Hussain

Oct 08, 2017 06:52pm

The petitioners must watch national geographic megastructures, mega cities and they will get the answer probably in the 1800s London had its underground train track and same timeline for US. We r on the right track.

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Oct 08, 2017 07:01pm

Good work CM

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Ch beg mulla

Oct 08, 2017 07:02pm

Inauguration of boogie? Civil work may take 4 years to complete till then they will rust?

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Salma

Oct 08, 2017 07:06pm

There are not enough schools or hospitals in Punjab but CM celebrates Metro.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Oct 08, 2017 07:19pm

What measures have been taken by the "movers and shakers" in Raiwind to address the concerns of the people of the city in general and various engineering societies including civil society of the country in particular, pertaining to the extensive structural, material and asset damages caused due to the orange line metro transit system in Lahore-Islamic Republic of Pakistan?

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Saeeds

Oct 08, 2017 07:35pm

Good job Mr NS . Brining these changes in communication for common person life is remarakable. First motorway than mass transit with all opposition you are man of vision. PPP worked for democracy and ML ok for development and people did nothing but complain and increase popluation.

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Zain

Oct 08, 2017 08:11pm

Well done CM, go Pakistan shine hard!

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majid

Oct 08, 2017 08:27pm

A great job indeed

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M.Saeed

Oct 08, 2017 08:37pm

Unfounded fears of damage to the historic heritage or chaotic traffic hazards causing life threatening pollution and accidents?

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Cyma

Oct 08, 2017 08:39pm

And what about the people of Sindh??? Are we not part of Pakistan ??? Why all development for Punjab

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Muslim Medina

Oct 08, 2017 08:49pm

Why Lahore and other cities of Punjab only? Karachi has been neglected by PMLN for years. It is Karachi which needs these coloured lines. Where does Punjab gets all the funds for these projects? Will our P.M. explain this.

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gohar

Oct 08, 2017 09:03pm

Excellent effort but such projects should be initiated in other parts of punjab also not just Lahore.

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stevenson

Oct 08, 2017 09:06pm

Great work. No one can deny that Shahbaz Sharif has improved all the cities in Punjab.

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Eye Opener

Oct 08, 2017 09:09pm

Good job. Karachi needed it before any city else.

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Dr Siddiqui

Oct 08, 2017 09:15pm

This project shows the myopic vision and lack of technical know-how of leaders! Cost-benefit ratios? Why all the technology (in form of end products) have to be imported from China? Why not focus on of technology transfer? The railways workshop in Mughalpura could have been updated to produce the required bogies for the project! This is a missed opportunity that could have been used to revamp Mughalpura railway workshop and provide jobs for local youth!

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AngryCitizen

Oct 08, 2017 10:08pm

We must appreciate Punjab Government for that, and anyone else who brings in and implements, infrastructure components similar to developed cities of the world. Karachi awaits such projects although some work has been initiated on the reincarnation of circular railway.

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Nis

Oct 08, 2017 10:12pm

Pakistan should start manufacturing these metro wagons locally. It's simple technology. It's seems that entire capex expenditure under CPEC is being imported from China. Which will be dearer for Pakistan in future. Local industry should be given priority in procurement.

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Prateik

Oct 08, 2017 10:13pm

Karachi also deserves the sub urban train.

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Toqeer

Oct 08, 2017 10:15pm

Congratulations All the big cities need these kind of long term commute solutions to ever increasing population negligence in this part can result in th congestion we are facing in Karachi

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FASIH

Oct 08, 2017 10:18pm

wow..congratulations pakistan.

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Oct 08, 2017 10:39pm

Is it electric train?

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Hamza

Oct 08, 2017 10:39pm

We don't need trains. We need a system where we don't have to give bribery to get our constitutional rights. You will be rejected in 2018 because you sold coffins in model town. You can't lure us anymore.

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Adi

Oct 08, 2017 10:50pm

Good initiative but keep subsidy to minimum to ensure that it do not become a financial burden. Efficiency will be key to longterm survivability.

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Malik

Oct 08, 2017 11:04pm

It was not needed,poor people need basic necessities of life,better income,treatment,justice,education,respect,electricity at cheap rates,clean water etc.Pakistan need dams,power generation ,and corruption free intstitutions,politicians,officers .

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Thunder

Oct 08, 2017 11:21pm

It will help reduce the burden of traffic on the roads and will lead way to other metro train projects in the country. Pakistan population which is on the rise needs transportation projects in urban cities.

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Gaman

Oct 08, 2017 11:26pm

You need clean water first. Priorities

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Nagi

Oct 08, 2017 11:27pm

Congratulations on achieving this milestone, now focus should be on health, education and new employment opportunities, for elected Punjab Government.

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Ashraf Ahmed

Oct 08, 2017 11:33pm

All C-Grade Chinese items in Pakistan. This tells how good we are doing.

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Zahid Haroon

Oct 08, 2017 11:38pm

The Pakistan railway is in worst condition and billions of rupees spent on useless things. Actually the priority is kickbacks.

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Maaz

Oct 08, 2017 11:45pm

A good project for improving transportation system in Pakistan. However, countries adopt these luxurious systems when all basic needs like water, food, health and education is provided to the common people. Our country is still far behind in providing basic necessities of life, therefore , it was better to spend these amounts on social sector instead of bringing costly transport facilities.

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Khan De Bannu

Oct 08, 2017 11:47pm

I'm from KPK, living abroad. My heart bleeds when I see the inauguration of all new infrastructure projects on Punjab soil every other day by their CM, not because Punjabis are being facilitated but due to the reason that we don't see anything except for dharnas and abusing the Federal gov by the CM of KP. On my very recent and detailed visit to Peshawar after quite a while, apprised me of the fact that PTI has wasted the golden 4 years time. No infrastructure projects I could witness except for a Hayatabad Phase 3 chowk flyover (which too is a project full of mistakes). I assume they've lost the trust of the KP-ites.. I'm feeling bad to say that I wish Shahbaz Sharif becomes nxt CM of my neglected province.

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Fazal Karim

Oct 09, 2017 12:19am

Do not load country by foreign and local debt by spending unproductive projects just to catch votes.Spend money on quality education,science research and establishing engineering industry and information technology. Pay attention to conditions leading to default in loan payment, rising cost of living and unemployment.

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Atif

Oct 09, 2017 12:35am

Wonderful news. One such metro should be erected in Karachi as well through Sind government efforts to secure foreign loan.

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Karan Chhabra

Oct 09, 2017 12:36am

Is this the first u have? Seriously

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Mark

Oct 09, 2017 12:45am

Congratulation bhailog.... Love & peace from India

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Hadi

Oct 09, 2017 01:13am

Awesomeness galore in Punjab!

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Ali

Oct 09, 2017 01:16am

How is this a gift? The money fir this project came in the form of a loan which has to be repaid. This isn't like the Hubaiyda paper mills where the money gets written off.

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ExPhD

Oct 09, 2017 01:38am

Show off. Unecessary ceremony? It should be completion if project ceremony. So ceremony for every coach over years.

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Ahsan gul

Oct 09, 2017 01:57am

Why CM is celebrating? Did he financed Metro project from is personal money? He has done job and he is getting paid every month.

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Sami

Oct 09, 2017 02:04am

At least he is doing something What PPP did in Sindh its disaster

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hasnain Haque

Oct 09, 2017 02:05am

27 km in 45 minutes,not great but who will use this when there is no employment, mo education,no health or wealth. Nations progress not by metro lines but by developing the people, their skills and education.

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RealVikas

Oct 09, 2017 02:05am

The sight of two armed guards in front of the train speaks volumes about the security situation in Pakistan. It is sad and shameful.

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hasnain Haque

Oct 09, 2017 02:06am

No point keep building meyro lines, pepple nerd jobs, education, health and justice.

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Oct 09, 2017 02:06am

Superb news! Better infra better foreign investment. Kudos to the Punjab Government.

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Oct 09, 2017 02:37am

Wah bahee

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Khaleesi

Oct 09, 2017 02:57am

Waiting for comments like Oh but what about education - or clean water - or health - or jobs? Put everything on hold till each one of 210 Million Pakistanis have access to clean water, each one has a 7 digit salary and no-one is suffering from any disease. Till then we shouldn't construct highways, expand railways or highways or invest in anything which remotely looks 'modeern'

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AdNan 2

Oct 09, 2017 02:58am

Shahbaz didn't do anything. Nothing to do with Shahbaz. He is taking credit of this.

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WARRIs

Oct 09, 2017 03:02am

Where is karachi in this sort of planning?

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AHa

Oct 09, 2017 03:20am

How much are each of these bogies cost n what is interest rate

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Sohail

Oct 09, 2017 03:37am

For this project we sacrificed our hungary poor population. We need food safe future and education. Rest of things should be secondary.

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Azhar

Oct 09, 2017 03:51am

"A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It's where the rich use public transportation." This is definitely a step in the right direction. Great job PML(N)!

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Oct 09, 2017 03:53am

Only red why no green?

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Sher Khan

Oct 09, 2017 04:49am

We think, commission has now been delivered to him.

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karam

Oct 09, 2017 05:48am

Good news for daily passengers.Get the infrastructure in place along with basic health secular educational system and promoting industries and agriculture. Pakistan has the natural resources . If the elected representatives are not delivering then the voters should engage with them and ensure that they deliver or boot them out subsequently.

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LAHORI KID

Oct 09, 2017 06:19am

Can the Punjab government make the details public as far as the actual cost versus the loan.

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LAHORI KID

Oct 09, 2017 06:50am

So the Punjab government spent 165 Billion Rupees on a train and a track that's only 25 Kilometers long? Could they have used the money to build a school and university, hired good professors with even half that money? That to me would have been money well spent. But than again, its the priorities of our governments that have forgotten about the progress, they much rather bring up motorways, buses and trains during elections to remind people how they made the country great, no electricity, no gas, no clean drinking water, no job growth,but great.

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Arshad, Canada

Oct 09, 2017 06:56am

Keep moving ahead, CM Shahbaz .You are doing well. Just try to keep the cost these projects at the minimum without compromising the quality of the work and services. All other provinces are looking to copy your success.

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My Advice

Oct 09, 2017 07:16am

Orange line is good idea. But it is more important to reduce illiteracy. Why about 25% of children do not go to schools? Children growing up as illiterate adults, so with no employable skills. How those no education and no skills are supposed to find a job or support their families?

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Oct 09, 2017 07:29am

Chinese engine. I hope not work as a Chinese toys

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Sam

Oct 09, 2017 07:44am

This also through loans from China. Chinese will drain you out on these loans.

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Ajaya K Dutt

Oct 09, 2017 07:57am

Congratulations, Pakistan. This is a very good start.

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Ajaya K Dutt

Oct 09, 2017 07:58am

This shall not only facilitate cost-effective movement but help in reducing pollution too.

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Vivek (Indore)

Oct 09, 2017 08:03am

Indore BRTS covers 30 km in 45 minutes. Despite being a BRT and not a metro train.

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Shaukat Ali Khan

Oct 09, 2017 08:18am

Good job.

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Omar

Oct 09, 2017 08:31am

@Salma ... and the million tress will provide the missing education and health care? Or maybe djbutt can educate the children in one of the tsunami dharnas!

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Oct 09, 2017 08:31am

Billions wasted for this piece of junk. People are dying without food and water.

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Omar

Oct 09, 2017 08:32am

@Cyma you should be asking that to the CM and elected officials of Sindh!

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Hopeful

Oct 09, 2017 09:21am

@Prateik No Karachi doesn't deserve trains. Karachi deserves proper city planning, better management, better facilities and better of everything since it houses so many people and is also our economy's hub. And i don't live in Karachi but i know what you guys go through. Such projects must be initiated in all provinces and trickle down to all cities. Peace.

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gohar

Oct 09, 2017 09:12pm

We should appreciate when someone does good job!

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Oct 10, 2017 10:11am

What is energy saving air conditioning?

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