CM Shahbaz celebrates arrival of Orange-Line Metro in Lahore

Published October 8, 2017
Nearly 0.25 million commuters will travel via Orange Line train daily in Lahore, says Punjab chief minister. —RadioPakistan
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
Shahbaz Sharif inaugurates the first set of bogies of the Orange-Line Metro during a ceremony at Deera Gujjran. —APP

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
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
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.

Opinion

Editorial

Threat perception
Updated 07 Dec, 2024

Threat perception

Despite clear proof of the threat posed by malign armed actors to national security, the military and civilian leadership prefers to focus on political opponents.
Humanity at risk
07 Dec, 2024

Humanity at risk

HUMAN trafficking continues to remain an area where the state has utterly failed its citizens. While global...
Banks and larger goals
07 Dec, 2024

Banks and larger goals

THAT banks in Pakistan “prioritise profit over purpose” and promote financial products with limited knowledge of...
Gaza genocide
Updated 06 Dec, 2024

Gaza genocide

Unless Western states cease their unflinching support to Israel, the genocide is unlikely to end.
Agri tax changes
06 Dec, 2024

Agri tax changes

IT is quite surprising if not disconcerting to see the PPP government in Sindh dragging its feet on the changes to...
AJK unrest
06 Dec, 2024

AJK unrest

THERE is trouble brewing in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, where a coalition comprising various civil society organisations...