Rs40 OLMT fare notified as launch nears

LAHORE:

The Punjab government on Tuesday fixed the fare for the Orange Line train at Rs40. The transport department issued the notification after the final decision was taken as the Orange Line Metro Train project neared completion. The metro train system is one of the biggest transport projects in Punjab.

After the approval of Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, the provincial government fixed the fare at Rs40 for each passenger per trip.

The Punjab government and the transport department had been at loggerheads over the fare for a long time. The transport department wanted to fix the fare at Rs50 but the Punjab cabinet, taking into consideration political reasons, has fixed it as Rs40. However, a high subsidy is being paid with the fare.

The prospective commuters were expecting different fares, ranging from Rs20 to Rs40, according to the distance travelled.

The inaugural ceremony of the project will be held at a stabling yard for which final planning is being done.

As per sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan, CM Punjab Usman Buzdar, the provincial transport minister and several parliamentarians will be invited to the ceremony.

The Punjab government has issued directives to ensure arrangements to adhere to the coronavirus prevention standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMTA) estimates that hundreds of thousands of people will travel on the train daily. As many as 26 stations have been built on the 27.1km track, of which two are underground.

So far, over Rs 300 billion has been spent on the project.

However, the date of the inauguration of the service has been changed thrice. The event is currently scheduled for October 25.

Initially, 20 trains will run on the track, each having five coaches. The train will arrive at a station after every five minutes.

Sources revealed that some issues had emerged during the test run of the train.

However, speaking to The Express Tribune, General Manager PMTA Muhammad Uzair Shah said the authorities were on schedule for launching the service. He said the test run of the train had been completed.

Reportedly, the OLMT drivers and supporting staff are being trained by Chinese experts so that after the completion of the test run, local drivers and staff can do their job.

The electric supply for the train has been suspended to do minor work while maintaining safety.

The official said the inauguration ceremony would take place on October 25 and the train service would be fully operational from the following day.

The finance department has proposed Rs70 to Rs80 fare because the government could not provide subsidy. The transport department has suggested that the fare must be kept low.

The construction work on the project was started in 2014 and it will have 26 stations. Among these, two stations will be underground and the remaining 24 on the ground.

The tains will run from Ali Town to Thokar Niaz Baig, Canal View, Hanjarwal, Wahdat Road, Awan Town, Shah Noor Studio, Band Road, Samanabad, Lake Road Chauburji, GPO, Lakshmi Chowk, Railway Station, UET, Baghbanpura, Shalimar Garden, Pakistan Mint, Salamatpura and Dera Gujran.

The track is 27.1km long.

The health department is likely to announce the standard operating procedures soon to run the train with minimum risk of spread of coronavirus.

The security and ticketing system of OLMT has been outsourced. The Chinese experts will stay in Pakistan until the start of the train operation and keep reviewing it and will also train the local staff.

When the operation of OLMT would commence, it will run from 5:30am to 11:30pm.

The experts highlighted that the launch of OLMT will also reduce the traffic load on the roads.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2020.