Cost of grand ambition

The PML-N has established a reputation for pulling off impressive infrastructure projects, though not all of them proved to be necessary or well thought through. A case in point is the Punjab government's proposal to set up a glass train from Rawalpindi to Murree. The proposal will ostensibly encourage tourism, but given the relatively high cost of construction, maintenance and operation, coupled with the lack of evidence that ridership will be able to cover these costs, the project runs a high risk of turning into a white elephant, or perhaps a glass elephant, at a time when the government is already strapped for cash. The money could be put to better use on infrastructure maintenance or improving other existing government services, but there is no glory in filling potholes.

It is also worth noting that over 30 years ago, the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway was touted by then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif as a game-changer. However, time has shown that while the project has had several positives, expectations were always too high for reality to live up to. It is also notable that Pakistan was not teetering on the brink of bankruptcy when the Motorway was announced. Similarly, during Shehbaz Sharif's run as Punjab chief minister, signal-free road projects in Lahore and other cities were certainly impressive, until we remember that the benefits mostly went to elites who own cars.

Thus, even if Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz's glass train project is built on a public-private partnership model, it is still money that, in the best-case scenario, could be better spent elsewhere, and in the worst-case scenario, will be a waste that also defaces a large portion of the Murree Hills. Most of Punjab's citizens will never be able to afford to vacation in Murree, but for the cost of the rail project, the government could upgrade several schools and health facilities, especially in rural areas. Progress should never be measured by the scale of a project, but by its impact on the lives of the common people.