LAHORE: The PML-N government has claimed to save about $1 billion from the project cost of Orange Line Metro Train by through launching of Rapid Mass Transit System project.
Almost 27 kilometres long underground train RMTS project had been prepared with an estimated cost of Rs230 billion in 2005. The incumbent govt of PML-N after coming into power in 2008, introduced Metro Bus and Orange Line Train projects to resolve public transport problems of the provincial capital. First Metro Bus project was completed with Rs30b in 2013 and the second one, the Orange Line project was signed with the Chinese firms with an estimated cost of Rs165 billion, approximately 1.5 dollars which is one billion dollar less than the previous government’s plan.
Sources added that the Punjab government saved this huge amount by changing the design of the project including change of route from Ferozepur Road to the Raiwind- Multan Road towards the northern parts of the city besides shifting the track from underground to the elevated path etc. The new project has been finalized to widen the area of coverage of the train with the aim to facilitate more people, sources maintained.
The 27-km long Lahore Orange Line Metro Train will be constructed on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis while work on this mega project will be started by end of July this year. A consortium of Chinese firms in collaboration with the Metro Bus Authority and the Punjab government will complete this project which is the biggest project of its kind worth Rs 165 billion.
