Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project (OLMTP) Steering Committee Chairman Khawaja Ahmed Hasaan has said that despite all the problems and difficulties, construction work on the project is being carried out expeditiously while manufacturing of trains has also been started.
He said that Chinese company CRNORINKO has been given first mobilisation advance and it is manufacturing 27 trains. He said that these trains of latest model will be fully computerised and automatic and there will be no need of a driver. Each train will comprise five bogies with a seating capacity of 200 persons in every bogie. As such, 27,000 passengers will be able to travel on 27 trains. The maximum speed of the train will be 80 km per hour.
The 27km long distance from Raiwind Road to Dera Gujran which takes about two and a half hours will be covered in only 45 minutes.
He said that due to stay order, construction work is suspended over some places while it is in progress as per schedule at other places and will be completed within stipulated period.
Initially 2.5 lac people will travel by orange line metro train daily passing through congested areas of the city while the number will increase by five lacs after three years. There will be separate seats for disabled persons in each bogie.
He was giving a briefing to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz presidents and general secretaries on OLMTP. MNA Mehr Ishtiaq, MPAs Majid Zahoor and Ch Shehbaz besides mediamen were also present on the occasion.
The committee chairman said that despite negative propaganda, Exim Bank of China has given first installment of 33 billion rupees to Pakistan for OLMTP which reflects the confidence of Chinese leadership in Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. He said that it is a lesson for those elements which are opposing this project of public welfare.
The meeting also offered Fateha for the labourers who were killed due to collapse of a wall the other day. Hasaan said that these labourers working on OLMTP were staying near a warehouse whose wall collapsed due to heavy storm. He said that it was not the fault of any government official and the impression that the cause of death was lack of safety measures is baseless.
NESPAK Deputy Project Manager Bilal Saeed said that this train will be of the shape of a drum and is being produced with stainless steel.
