The second-largest city of Pakistan Lahore with all its splendor and distinguishing allurance has added another hi-tech project under its belt. This Orange Line Metro Train project will add ease in transportation for the common public. The higher authorities are finishing the last preparations and the remains of the construction work have been cleared up. Trees and flowers were planted way before the test run around the train route. This train is all set to initiate its test run which will be held on the coming Monday. Whereas the actual launching of this train project might prolong to a few more months. However, the first official test run has already been conducted in April to examine the performance of the train.
The time when the project was decided
This train project was announced way back in 2014 when the Punjab Government agreed with the respective Chairman of the Chinese National Development Reforms Commission to set up this transportation facility. The construction work proceeded in the month of October 2015 after China provided a loan to Pakistan of 1.5 billion dollars.
The involvement of different political figures has also proved to be a stimulus for the development of this project. For example, The Chief Minister of Punjab, Sardar Usman Buzdar held a big meeting to check the advancements of the train project a week earlier. The Chief Minister was given the information that the work of construction between the stops of Dera Gujran to Anarkali consisting of 13 substations in total had been finished and high-voltage electricity will be utilized by the train for test running.
The Chief Minister was also told that the remaining unfinished work left on 11 other substations will be completed by the month of November after which the whole route test running will be conducted accordingly. The initial deadline for the project was 25th December 2017 which is now extended to the month of March in the next year. The inauguration of the much-awaited train project will most expectedly be handed down to the Prime Minister Imran Khan.
The sketch of the Orange Line Metro Train
The total framework of the train route comprises a length of 27.1 km and it consists of 26 substations in total, two of whom are situated underground. The number of people that the trains can accommodate per day is more than 250,000. The number of train sets allocated for this project are 27.
Lahore Orange Line train will be passing through these stops.
- Ali Town
- Thokar Niaz BaigCanal View
- Canal ViewHanjarwal
- HanjarwalWahdat Road
- Wahdat RoadAwan Town
- Awan TownSabzazar
- SabzazarShahnoor
- ShahnoorSalahuddin Road
- Salahuddin RoadBund Road
- Bund RoadSamanabad
- SamanabadGulshan-e-Ravi
- Gulshan-e-RaviChauburji
- ChauburjiLake Road
- Lake RoadGPO
- GPOLakshami
- LakshamiRailway Station
- Railway StationSultanpura
- Sultanpura
- UET
- Baghbanpura
- Shalimar Garden
- Pakistan Mint
- Mahmood Booti
- Islam Park
- Salamat Pura
- Dera Gujran
Note here that the project was halted by Lahore High Court near 11 historic sites to save them from distortion but was overruled by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The court gave a green signal to the local government, however, directed the authority to make sure the historic sites remain safe during the process.
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