More than 72 per cent civil work of Orange Line Project completed

Lahore : As a result of effective presentation of technical data, heritage impact assessment report, vibration report and other relevant research studies about Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project, the 21 members of the World Heritage Committee accepted Pakistan’s stance on the project, discarded the proposed draft decision forwarded by the critics and scrapped the proposal for putting Shalimar Garden, Lahore, on the list of ‘World Heritage in Danger’ during its 41^stsession held recently in Poland.

Chairman of the steering committee for Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Kh. Ahmad Hassan observed this, while talking to media men at his office on Wednesday, after chairing the weekly progress review meeting about the project.

The meeting was informed that 72 per cent of the civil work on Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project has so far been completed. Progress on package-I from Dera Gujjaran, G.T.Road to Chouburji was 85.3 per cent, on package-II from Choburji to Ali Town was 52.5 per cent, on Depot near Dera Gujran was 77 per cent while on Stabling Yard near Ali Town it was 73.2 per cent.

The meeting was told that track for the orange line metro train has been laid up to a length of five kilometers out of the 13,4 kilo meters long stretch of Package-I. The work has been started from Islam Park Station and the track laying has been completed beyond Pakistan Mint Station.

Gray structure of all the 11 elevated stations along this project and one under-ground Anarkali station has been completed and handed over to CR-NORINCO for executing electrical and mechanical works. Construction of bridge on Lahore Ring Road near Quaid-e-Azam Interchange, for passing through the train,s track, has also been completed. Digging work for constructing new drain from Haji Camp to River Ravi via Chouburji, Sham Nagar and other areas has also commenced and steel structure was being laid from Chouburji towards Lake Road.

The meeting was told that a new sewer line will be laid to resolve drainage issues of Muslim Block Allama Iqbal Town at a cost of Rs. six million which will connect this area to Huma Block Allama Iqbal Town near Edhi Centre. Construction of the new block of Government Girls High School, Chappar Stop, comprising of 24 class rooms, was in final stages and will be finished by the end of this month, the meeting was assured.

Kh. Ahmad Hassan directed that two elevated stations, situated at Islam Park and Salamat Pura, may be completed in every respect, by finishing all civil, electrical and mechanical works, by the 31^stof  July so that these structures could be used as ‘models’ for completing other stations of the project.

He directed for safeguarding the recently acquired land for the project near Sukh Nehr by removing the encroachments which were being constructed there. He further directed for  removing debris and other hurdles from Chouburji, Samanabad and Sabazazar intersections along Multan Road for facilitating smooth flow of traffic.

Mehar Ishtiaq MNA, Ch Shahbaz MPA, Senior Deputy Mayor Nazir Khan Sawati,  Chief Engineer LDA Asrar Saeed, Chief Engineer TEPA Saif-ur-Rehman, General Manager NESPAK Salman Hafeez, senior officials of LESCO, WASA, PTCL, SUI GAS, Traffic Police, Railways, Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, Chinese Contractor, CR- NOROINCO, Representatives of Chinese Engineering Consultant and Local Contractors of the project attended the meeting.