Khawaja Ahmed Hasaan says Orange Line project is necessary, compensation is more than adequate and danger to historical places exaggerated
Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab Khawaja Ahmed Hasaan said on Saturday that more than Rs 3 billion had been released for paying compensation for the properties acquired in connection with Orange Line Metro Train.
Hasaan said that Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had not only announced a great compensation package for the people but also ensured its payment within one day. He said that payment had been made to 800 owners so far. He said that the owners were receiving vouchers of compensation on the same day through a one window operation for the first time in Pakistan’s history. He said that after depositing the vouchers in the bank, the amount was also transferred from the exchequer within 24 hours. He said that Punjab Chief Minister had taken special steps through State Bank for this purpose.
“This system is nothing less than a miracle, as clearance of cross-cheques takes a minimum of two days,” he said.
Khawaja Ahmed Hasaan was addressing a press conference regarding Orange Line Metro Train Project and progress made so far in connection with payment of compensation for land being acquired for it along with MNA Pervaiz Malik, Provincial Ministers Rana Sanaullah, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Bilal Yasin, Board of Revenue Senior Member Zahid Saeed, Commissioner Lahore Abdullah Sumbal, DCO Capt (r) Muhammad Usman and LDA Director General Ahad Khan Cheema.
Hasaan said that Lahore was the second most populated city of the country and about 6.8 million people here travelled daily using different modes of transport. He said that it was realised in 2006 that mass transit was required to overcome transport related problems of the people.
“Through international tender the lowest bid which emerged for the project was of $2.12 billion. But we reduced it further to $1.47 billion and we are thankful to the Chinese government for their support,” he added.
LAND COMPENSATION:
Khawaja Ahmed Hasaan said that about 9,500 kanals of land was needed to be acquired for the project and that four camps had been set up on the direction of the Punjab chief minister to facilitate people and make the process of payment easier.
For this purpose, staff of concerned departments and banks had been deputed in special camps set up at Engineering University G.T Road near Gate No. 6, Government College Cricket Ground near P & D Building opposite to IG Office, Thokar Niaz Baig Chowk and LDA Office Johar Town. He said that besides arrangement of chairs, tea and food, free transport facility had also been made available for people visiting the camps for receiving compensation.
He said that launching of development projects in Lahore on priority basis was the basic need of the city and its citizens. He said that Lahore Orange Line Metro Train was the first project in the history of Pakistan where services of the State bank of Pakistan had been secured and approved evaluators had been acquired for estimation of the compensation of the land acquired for the project. He said that on the basis of this estimate, the rate of compensation of this land had been doubled compared to land acquired for development projects completed earlier. He said that earlier, the compensation had been paid to the owners on the government rate for the land whereas this compensation was far above the government rate.
Hasaan said that on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Rs 20 billion had been allocated for paying compensation to the owners of properties acquired for the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train project. He said that compensation of up to Rs 35 lakh per marla was being paid for commercial land in different areas of the city. He said that besides the cost of the land, 15 per cent additional amount was being paid as acquisition charges. He said that hundreds of thousands of rupees were also being paid as compensation for the buildings constructed on the land, loss of business and move to a different location.
Hasaan said that a special package had been announced for residents living on the land of different government departments for the last 50 or 60 years or the persons residing on leased lands who could be given proprietary rights e.g. Bangali Building and Maharaja Building. He said that special assistance of Rs 1 million per family was being given at places where 10 persons were residing in a single room. Similarly, a huge amount was being paid to the owners as compensation for the property. He said that efforts were being made for provision of all-out help and cooperation to the people.
HERITAGE SITES:
He said that the Orange Line Metro Train was not affecting the heritage places at all and the project would make it easy for people to access these places. He said that the historical places would be renovated with about Rs 100 million.
About 300,000 people would benefit from this metro train every day and the figure would swell to 500,000, he said.
He said that our neighbouring China, accepting the credibility of the PML-N leadership, was assisting in this project. He said that the metro train project was a great gift for the people.
“The project should be completed so that modern means of transportation can be promoted further,” he said.
Responding to a question, he said that the project was a joint venture of China Rail (CR) and Norinco, a huge company with a lot of expertise in the field.
