Orange Line coaches parking laid at Dera Gujjran

Lahore : Six tracks, each measuring 125 meters, have been laid at Depot near Dera Gujjran for parking coaches being imported from China for  Orange Line Metro Train, the first consignment of which is scheduled  to reach Lahore by the end of next month.

Advisor to the Chief Minister, Punjab and Chairman of the steering committee for Project (LOMTP) Khawaja Ahmad Haassan informed this during the weekly progress review meeting, here, Wednesday. He told that one complete train set, comprising of five cars, could be parked on a single track. Civil work within the premises of the Depot was being given final touches and electrical and mechanical work by the Chinese contractor CR-NORINCO was also in full swing for timely finalizing arrangements for receiving these coaches, he added.

The meeting was informed that for operating train with electricity, two high voltage substations were being built along the track of Lahore Orange Line Metro Train. Pakistan Railways has provided land to LDA for construction of one such sub-station at G.T. Road near University of Engineering & Technology while the other substation was being built near Shah Noor Studio at Multan Road. Both these installations will also be fully functional by the next month, he added.

Use of Steam Curing Technology has geared up work for pre-casting U-Tub girders and transoms for package II of the train, from Chouburgi to Ali Town. This technology has been introduced for the first time in Pakistan for pre-casting these structures. The experiment has been successful, paving the way for speedy construction of the track along this stretch, the meeting was informed.  An average of nine U-Tub girders will now be pre-cast daily and as many girders will be launched by the recently imported machinery by the contractor.

The meeting was informed that 74 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 86 per cent, on package-II from Choburji to Ali Town was 53.3 per cent, on Depot near Dera Gujran was 79.1 per cent while on Stabling Yard near Ali Town it was 75 per cent. An overall 17 percent electrical and mechanical work of the project has also been completed.  Electrical and Mechanical work on 20 elevated stations of metro train was in full swing. Civil work on available area along package-I had almost been completed, the meeting was told.

Khawaja Ahmad Hassan directed officials of the Lahore Waste Management Company for efficiently utilizing resources in order to ensure cleanliness in the city on the eve of Eid-Al Azha. He directed for dispatching small vehicles for lifting offal and other waste material of sacrificial animals to such places where trucks could not go.  He said that public facilitations must be given top priority during forthcoming Eid-Al Azha days. All the utility services departments should chalk out a comprehensive plan for this festival for ensuring uninterrupted supply of services during these days. He further directed for eliminating illegal sale points of sacrificial animals and shifting them to places designated for this purpose.

Chief Engineer LDA Asrar Saeed, General Manage Operations Punjab Mass Transit Authority Syed Uzair Shah, Chief Engineer TEPA Saif Ur Rahman, 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.