Trial run of Orange Line Metro Train held

LAHORE: A trial run of the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) was conducted here on Monday. The train was run near its depot and authorities said that a 12km long portion of the track, from Dera Gujran to Lakshmi Chowk, would be completed during the current week.

Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab and Steering Committee Chairman Khwaja Ahmed Hassan said that four more train-sets of the OLMT had reached Lahore on Saturday while the twelve kilometres elevated section of the track would most likely be completed within the next 10 days.

Talking to the media after chairing a meeting to review the project, inspection of construction work at depot and visit of the first four stations of the track, Khawaja Hassan told that the under-construction track at Dera Gujjran to depot had been completed. The total number of train-sets in Lahore is now 15. He said that a six and a half kilometres rail-track has been laid from the depot to Pakistan Mint – the sixth station on the track. The track has been completed up to Shalamar Bagh and the road is also being carpeted beneath the rail-track. The 12-km elevated rail-track will be laid down from Dera Gujran to Lakshmi Chowk in the next one week.

The road-arteries from Dera Gujran to depot have also repaired. Therefore, the train has been run on trial basis on the completed track length. He said that the area drain from Haji Camp to Ravi is being constructed expeditiously. A special committee comprising officers of WASA, NESPAK, TEPA and Traffic Police has been constituted to remove the hurdles in the way of the project. The construction work is being completed on a fast track basis.

Kh Hassan also visited Islam Park, Salamatpura and Mahmood Booti stations, which had been completed up to 97 per cent so far, while extra labour had been employed to complete the remaining work at the earliest.

Chief Engineer LDA Israr Saeed, General Manager NESPAK Salman Hafeez, Chief Engineer TEPA Saif-ur-Rehman as well as high officials of LESCO, PTCL, Sui Gas, Railways, Traffic Police, Civil Defence, Rescue 1122 and other departments concerned were present. Besides Chinese contractor CR Norinko, representatives of China Engineering Consultants and local contractors also attended.