LAHORE: The government has approved a proposal by the Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA) to implement a distance-based fare instead of the flat fare of the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train, which runs on a 27-kilometre route from Dera Gujaran (Quaid-i-Azam interchange) to Ali Town (Raiwind Road) via Shalamar (GT Road), station, Lakshmi Chowk, Anarkali, Chauburji and Multan Road.

The increased fares will go into effect before Nov 20, Dawn has learned.

“The PMA’s proposed distance-based rates were initially accepted by the Punjab transport and finance departments.” Finally, the Punjab cabinet authorised them a few days ago, allowing the PMA to move forward with implementation,” an official source told Dawn on Monday.

According to the cabinet-approved proposal, the minimum and maximum tickets for the Orange Line will be Rs20 and Rs40 per passenger. The minimum fare will be charged on a stop-to-stop basis (one station to the next) or one stop to the next stop after a few stations. The rates would gradually climb to Rs25, 30, 35, and 40 as the distance increases.

According to the official, the Chinese firm in charge of the Orange Line’s operation and maintenance has also begun work to feed the new fares into the automatic computerised system.

“In addition, an awareness campaign will be started soon to keep the general public informed of the new fares,” the source stated.

He said in the light of various surveys, the PMA has come to know that 88 per cent of passengers travel within a 16km distance of the total 27km-long route. The remaining 12 per cent used to travel from originating station to the last station, or the station situated over at 16km distance.

He said if the distance-based system succeeds, it will be replicated for the Lahore, Rawalpindi and Multan metro bus systems.

In August, the PMA pressed the government to allow it to introduce a distance-based fare for traveling by the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train keeping in view the massive surge in administrative and operational expenses. The authority also asked the government to revive a summary, it had already tabled before the cabinet of the Punjab government. In fact, the authority first took up this matter with the Buzdar-led PTI government, explaining that the Orange Line train fares immediately needed to be rationalised by abolishing the flat fare system. It also proposed the introduction of a distance-based fare system.

The Buzdar government agreed to increase fares to relieve the PMA from an increasing financial burden. But it could not do so. After the formation of the new government, led by Hamza Shehbaz, the authority took up this issue with it. And finally, this government asked the PMA to submit a summary to the provincial cabinet through the transport department. For this, the PMA prepared a summary seeking revision in the fares through a distance-based fare system. The department, after going through it tabled it before the then cabinet, but it didn’t take any decision. After the change in the Punjab government a couple of months ago, the PMA again took up the matter with the authorities concerned and finally it succeeded to get the proposal approved.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2022