Mass transit: OLMT enters completion phase

Meeting participants informed over 86% civil and 67% electrical and mechanical works have been completed

LAHORE: Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project has entered its completion phase. All 26 train stations have been completed as per international standards, including facilities for citizens with special needs.

Speaking to participants of the project’s weekly progress review meeting on Wednesday, the OLMT Steering Committee Chairman Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan highlighted that all metro train stations will be accessible by the elderly and citizens with special needs as dedicated facilities were being built for wheelchairs.



Meeting participants were informed that over 86% civil and 67% electrical and mechanical works have been completed at Islam Park station which was being built as a model. He said that once this model station was completed, the same design and material would be replicated at all remaining stations. Development works were being executed on a rapid pace, except sites where the court had given stay orders, he added.

The meeting observed that the project had already been delayed owing to stay orders. The court judgment in metro train case was reserved by the court for seven months. Project contractors, including Chinese and locals, expressed their worries over the long delay.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, in a recent public address, expressed his concerns over reserving the verdict. He appealed to the court of law to announce its verdict on the fate of multi-billion rupee project and assured that his government would accept the decision, come what may.

Meeting participants were informed that the pace of development works had been increased on package-2 (from Chaburji to Ali Town). As many as 645 out of total 806 u-tub girders required for construction of elevated viaduct for train at this section have been precast, while 505 of such structures have so far been put into their places.

National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) General Manager Salman Hafeez told the meeting participants that 77.8% of the civil works were completed, besides 30% electrical and mechanical work. Progress on package-I (from Dera Gujjaran, Grand Trunk Road to Chaburji) was 87.3%, on package-2 it was 62%, on package -3 (depot near Dera Gujjaran) was 82.3% and on package-4 (stabling yard near Ali Town) 81.4%.



The meeting was attended by MPA Chaudhry Shabaz Ahmad, LDA Chief Engineer Asrar Saeed Khan, Punjab Mass transit Authority Manager Operations Sayed Ozair Shah, Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA) Chief Engineer Saif-ur-Rehman and senior officials of LESCO, WASA, PTCL, Sui gas, traffic police, Pakistan Railways, Rescue 1122 and Civil Defence. Representatives of Chinese contracting companies, CR-NORINCO and local contractors were also present in the meeting.

The 27-kilometer Orange Line Metro Train Project isestimated to cost over $1.65 billion (Rs165 billion) and is funded through a soft loan by China’s Exim Banks. Project documents highlighted around $1 billion will be directly transferred to Chinese contractors, CR-NORINCO, for procurement of the rolling stock while the remaining amount will be transferred to Pakistan for construction of track and provision of allied infrastructure.

The project was part of the city metro network and when completed. It will connect Raiwind, Multan Road, Mcleod Road, Lahore Junction Railway Station and the Grand Trunk Road. It will be the first line of Lahore Metro, which would be country’s first mass rapid transit train system.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30^th, 2017.