Public policy: Law minister defends metro train in PA

Leader of the opposition asks the govt to ‘let the dead rest in peace’

LAHORE:

Leader of Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed on Thursday warned the government against ‘stealing’ public funds to divert these to the Orange Line Metro Train project. He was speaking during the debate on the project in the Provincial Assembly on Thursday.

Less than 50 lawmakers and two provincial ministers were present during the discussion. The four-party opposition alliance that has been seeking the debate also failed to ensure full attendance.

Earlier, nine audit reports were presented by the law minister and parliamentary secretaries for labour and human resource as well as information and culture answered questions regarding their departments. On a question regarding expenditure of Rs232 million on a medical college in Faisalabad that does not exist, the speaker ordered that the issue be referred to a standing committee.

Law Minister Rana Sanaullah opened the discussion on the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT). He said the project was conceived in 1991. He said at the time, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had conducted a survey and recommended setting up at least one metro project (the green line) due to growing need for public transport.

He said the project was abandoned when the government was dismissed. He said it was taken up again by a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)-led government in 1997-1998.

He said the project was again abandoned in 1998 following economic sanctions imposed over nuclear tests and later a military coup.

Since its conception, Sanaullah said, the project was meant to be funded through international loans.

He said in 2006-2007, a French consultancy firm SYSTRA had compiled a feasibility report. He said it had identified the need for setting up not just a green line but also an orange, a blue and a purple line.

He said the budgeted cost of the project was Rs165 billion, out of which Rs15 billion was for contingencies. The minister said the tendering process had been transparent.

He also defended re-appropriation of funds, saying it was aimed at utilisation of funds kept from slow-moving schemes for fast moving schemes.

Sanaullah said there was no comparison between the Amritsar metro project and the Lahore metro project. He said the latter was new and would naturally cost more.

Leader of the Opposition Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed said the government was neglecting basic necessities. Rasheed criticised allocation of Rs5 billion for the signal free corridor.

He said the government was confused between promoting public and private transport.

In June 2009, he said, the government had written to Asian Development Bank that mass transit was not a priority.

Rasheed said the Amrtisar metro project was built over a longer track and cost Rs9 billion. He said Lahore’s project cost Rs30 billion.

He said the government was violating laws, including the National Antiquities Act 1975 and the Punjab Special Premises Ordinance of 1985.

Rasheed said the government was also ignoring a high court order, stopping construction near 11 heritage sites. Rasheed also criticised diversion of funds from graveyards for the project. “At least let the dead rest in peace, Rana Sanaullah,” he said. The law minister is expected to wind up the debate.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2016.