LAHORE: After completion of the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project, the process to hand it over to the Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMTA) by the Chinese joint venture CR-Norinco was underway and is expected to complete by end of next month, as the authority will have to launch its commercial operation (opening it for public) on October 25, the deadline after which the government will have to pay the penalty for any further delay.

“The project is complete now. And presently the process to hand it over to the PMTA by the CR-Norinco JV (contractor) is underway. It will take some time (till September 30) since it includes carrying out a joint survey of the project, taking over all stations, track, equipment, yards etc. And while conducting the survey and inspection of the entire moveable and immovable assets, the client and the contractor will sign a huge bill of quantity (BOQ) comprising 550 pages,” a senior official told Dawn on Sunday.

“After signing all documents, we will be in a position to say that the PMTA— a subsidiary of the transport department -- has taken over the project,” the official, who requested anonymity, added.

To a question, he said the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK), which is consultant of the project, would carry out the joint survey with the contractor and take it over on behalf of the PMTA. After taking it over, the PMTA would hand the project over to the contractor responsible for its operation and maintenance (O&M). The O&M contractor (a JV of some international firms) has also started carrying out various activities required ahead of launching the project’s commercial operation.

The contractor had earlier sought some time from the government before launching the train operation because of the Covid-19 lockdowns in China and Pakistan, closure of flight operation and some other technical and administrative reasons.

However, after easing of the lockdown restrictions in both countries, the O&M contractor has started working rapidly so that trains commercial operation could be launched on Oct 25.

“At present, the contractor has mobilised its foreign staff to the sites, while hiring of locals in various departments of the orange line has also begun. Drivers are also being trained. In the next few days, the staff will conduct cold tests of the project after which formal hard tests will be conducted. In the coming days, you will see all trains running on the 27.1km track,” the official explained.

About the resumption of the operation of Lahore Metro Bus Service (Green Line), he said the authority was waiting for the instructions of the government.

“Till date, there is no information when the Metro buses operation, which was closed in March this year due to Covid-19 lockdown, will resume. If the government allows the authority to resume the buses operation, it will obey urgently,” he added.

UNDERPASS: More than 65 percent civil work on Firdaus Market underpass project has so far been completed, as construction activity is being carried out round the clock for finishing it during the first week of next month.

According to a spokesman, the LDA Director General Ahmad Aziz Tarar visited the site of the project late on Saturday and inspected the work being executed there.

Project Director Iqrar Hussain briefed the DG on the pace and quality of the work on the occasion.

The DG was told that pouring of concrete for construction of deck slab was going on, besides excavation for building ramps of the underpass. Digging of wells for disposal of rainwater was also in progress.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2020