Chief minister inaugurates OLMT test run

Says metro train is a glowing example of Pakistan-China friendship

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the test run of the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) on Wednesday.

Sharif, along with Chinese Consul General, ministers, provincial assembly members, project engineers, contractors, media representatives and notables of the city, boarded the nation’s first metro train from Islam Park Station. The test run was conducted from Islam Park to Lakshmi Chowk Station successfully.

Addressing the media at Lakshmi Chowk Station, Sharif underscored that the metro train is a glowing and immortal example of Pakistan-China friendship. “Lahore has become the pioneering metro train city of the country.” He said those who travel on helicopters and airplanes did not understand the woes of the common man. “Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan wasted 22 months of this nation by creating hurdles in the swift construction of the metro.”

He said this was a “common man project” which would benefit hundreds of thousands commuters on a daily basis. Sharif added Khan had missed his train and now the masses would sink his party’s ship in the 2018 general elections. He highlighted that the PTI government had failed to build new hospitals, schools or any other remarkable project in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).



“Khan always criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and this (Sharif) government project, but failed to complete a single remarkable project in K-P,” the CM said. “Khan once used to refer Lahore Metro Bus project as the 'Jangla Bus Service' and now has started a similar initiative in K-P. “The People of Pakistan will take revenge from PTI in the upcoming polls for delaying the OLMT project,” he maintained. Shehbaz added both the PTI and Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) are engaged in similar politics. “Both parties did not do any development in their respective provinces.”

On the occasion, it was stated that the total length of orange line metro track is 27.12 kilometers. Out of it, 25.4 kilometers track is elevated, while 1.72 kilometers track has been made underground to protect historical places. The orange line metro train has 26 stations. 24 of which are at a height of 12 meters whereas two stations are constructed underground. The number of trains is 27 and each train has five bogies. This train will complete 27 kilometers distance from Ali Town to Dera Gujran in just 45 minutes.

The train will pass through the congested areas of the city where more than 250,000 passengers travel daily. Within the next few years, OLMT will facilitate 500,000 passengers daily. At the start of this project, tendering was done in spite of the government-to-government agreement and Rs69 billion were saved by the Punjab government through post-bidding. At the same time, Rs6 billion were also saved in local tendering in collaboration with the Chinese government.

The project was divided in four packages to expedite construction work. “The metro train track is being constructed under Package-I and II, while the depot and stabling yard are being constructed under package-III and IV, respectively. The construction work started on October 25, 2015 and January 22, 2016 for the depot at Dera Gujran and stabling yard in Ali Town. Up till now, more than 88% construction work has been completed. Also, 94% work of package-I from Dera Gujran to Chauburji, 84% of package-II from Chauburji to Ali Town, 89% of package-III depot and 91% of construction of package-IV stabling yard has been completed. The Chinese made metro train bogies are air-conditioned and comfortable. Each train consists of five bogies and each bogie is 20 meters long with 60 seats. Separate seats are allocated for women, senior citizens and special persons. As many as 200 passengers can travel in each bogie and a public address system is also installed for the convenience of the passengers. The doors of the electric train are fully automatic. There are also doors at the platform to ensure double safety of the passengers. Installation of electric accelerators is in full swing to help the needy to reach the platform easily. All the 27 train sets have been imported and 14 of them are placed at Dera Gujran while 13 are parked at stabling yard of Ali Town.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2018.