Orange Line Train to start chugging soon: Asim Bajwa

All teething issues of the project have been removed, says PM’s aide

ISLAMABAD:

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Lt General (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa said on Saturday that the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) would be launched soon as all teething issues of the project had been removed.

Asim, who is also Chairman CPEC Authority, said on Twitter that the fare for the commuters had been decided and trial runs were underway.

He further said operations and management award for the project was given and hiring was also in progress.

Orange Train:On our way to launch the project soon; teething issues resolved,fare decided, trial runs underway,O&M award given,hiring in progress. #cpec #CPECMakingProgress #PakistanMovingForward pic.twitter.com/KMLZeb6GNB

— Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimSBajwa) September 19, 2020

The Express Tribune had learnt that the government was considering a proposal to fix the fare for passengers of the OLMT at Rs40 to Rs50.

A summary has already been forwarded to the Punjab cabinet for approval of a flat tariff for a year.

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 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.