Fixed OLMT fare of Rs40 to Rs50 proposed

Provincial cabinet likely to approve tariff for a year

LAHORE:

The government is considering a proposal to fix the fare for passengers of the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) at Rs40 to Rs50.

A summary has already been forwarded to the provincial cabinet for approval of a flat tariff for a year, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Earlier, the government had announced Rs40 fare for the country’s first metro train service. A senior official of the Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMTA) disclosed that the proposal to fix the OLMT fare at a flat rate between Rs40 and Rs50 had been forwarded to the provincial cabinet for final decision. He highlighted that the process of handing over of the OLMT project to the operations and maintenance (O&M) contractors was underway. After completion of the handing over process by the end of the current month, the integrated testing and training phase would be initiated, which would last till October 24.

He said all efforts were being made to meet the commercial launch deadline of October 25 as the development work and initial testing had been completed. Recruitment of employees by contractors is also underway as the project has created over 2,000 jobs for skilled and unskilled workers. Except 40 PMTA employees, all the jobs have been created in the private sector through the OLMT contractors.

A Chinese-led consortium of Guangzhou Metro Group, Norinco International and Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service has secured the O&M contract of the OLMT project for an eight-year term. It is the first rail transit project that is nearing completion under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in which Chinese technology, equipment and standards have been used.

The project earlier suffered several setbacks, including the Covid-19 pandemic. Both Chinese and Pakistani contractors were excited about initiating commercial operation of the service when the novel coronavirus erupted in Wuhan, China, and entangled the entire world. The pandemic spread like wildfire and forced governments to impose travel restrictions across the globe. Entry and movement of Chinese engineers and workers remained restricted for around three months, which delayed the entire launch process of the OLMT project.

Later, the Chinese contractors announced successful completion of the electrical and mechanical works following approval from the PMTA and NESPAK in July.

The OLMT is a part of the city metro network. The construction work started on October 25, 2015. The previous government led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had aimed to complete the project before the 2018 general elections but it failed to achieve the target owing to prolonged litigation and stay orders.

The project has a total length of 27.12 kilometres. Out of it, 25.4km track is elevated and 1.72km underground to protect historical sites. The OLMT has 26 stations -- 24 at the height of 12 metres and two underground. The number of trains is 27, each having five coaches that are 20 metres long and have 60 seats. Separate seats have been allocated for women, senior citizens and people with special needs.

A public address system has been installed for the convenience of the passengers. The doors of the electric train are fully automatic and doors have also been installed at the platforms to ensure safety of the passengers. This train will run at 80km per hour and complete the 27km distance from Ali Town to Dera Gujran in 45 minutes. It will pass through the congested areas of the city where more than 250,000 passengers travel daily. Official documents highlight that within the next few years, the OLMT will facilitate 500,000 passengers daily.

Once the project is 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 the Lahore Metro, which is country’s first mass rapid transit train system.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 14^th, 2020.