Kh Ahmad Hasaan briefs civil society about Lahore Orange Line Train Project

Lahore: Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Khawaja Ahmed Hasaan has said that Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has sought Chinese cooperation for Lahore Orange Line Train Project after great struggle. He said that this project has not been given in a plate but we have struggled hard for reducing its cost.

He expressed these views while giving a briefing to the members of civil society regarding background and details of Lahore Orange Line Train Project, the other day.

Kh. Ahmed Hasaan told that this is the first infrastructure and mass transit project to be completed by China with 100 percent cost in Pakistan.

According to Chinese Prime Minister this is a gift for Pakistan and acknowledgement to the efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif with regard to transparent completion of development projects in Punjab, he added. He said that this project has been evolved after formal research keeping in view the needs of citizens of Lahore and is essential for resolving transport problems of Lahore.

He said that Orange Line Train to be constructed at a cost of one trillion 65 billion rupees will pass through the congested and busy business areas as a result of which more than 2.5 lakh citizens will get rid of travelling problems and benefit from modern, quality and comfortable facility.

He said that best technical expertise has been used for the conservation of historical buildings around the route of metro train under the guidance of archaeologists and protection of these historical buildings has been ensured in every aspect.

He said that members of civil society and architects should keep in view the limited national resources and other difficulties and try to understand the need and importance of this public project and fully cooperate for its implementation. He said that today they have been consulted first time and this process will   continue in future as well. He said that work regarding other development projects of the city will be carried out in the light of their suggestions and proposals.

Giving briefing, Chief Engineer LDA, Israr Saeed told it has been kept in view during the designing of the project that minimum land has to be acquired so that a minimum number of people should affect. He told that the train will passed underground from this area for saving historical buildings of Saint Andrews Church along with Lakshmi Building, GPO, Supreme Court Registry, Shah Chiragh, Mauj Darya Darbar and Masjid which has increased construction cost four times here. He said that track of the train will not be wider and it will be 12 meter or 40 feet elevated. He said that the speed of the train will be less than 80km per hour due to which no loss will be caused to any historical building. MD NESPAK Amjad Ali Khan told that Lahore is situated near fault line of earthquake and a large number of complications are to be faced during designing of complete underground train track.

Senator Aitzaz Ahsan, MNA Pervaiz Malik, Spokesman Punjab government Syed Zaeem Qadri,Secretary Archives Humayun Mazhar, Commissioner Lahore Abdullah Sumbal, DCO Capt. (R) Muhammad Usman, prominent architect Nayyar Ali Dada, Dr. Ijaz Ahmed, Kamil Khan Mumtaz, Imrana Tiwana, Neelam Hussain, Fauzia Qureshi, Naumana Amjad, Pervaiz Qureshi and others were present on the occasion.