LAHORE: After awarding the operations and maintenance contract to the Chinese contractors for the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project, the tendering process was successfully closed, announced an official of the Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMTA).
The Chinese contractors will initiate the commercial operations at the earliest, which will include testing and commissioning over the course of a couple of months.
The metro train track stretches over 27.12 kilometres, of which 25.4km is elevated while 1.72km is underground, and is designed to consume high-voltage electricity. Hence, two diesel locomotives have been imported by the government in case of emergency.
Covering the distance from Ali Town to Dera Gujran in 45 minutes, it will pass through congested areas of the city where more than 250,000 passengers travel on a daily basis.
Falling under the OLMT Package-I (from Dera Gujjran to Anarkali), the construction of all 13 stations has been completed. Along with this, the construction of 11 stations of OLMT Package-II will be completed this month. The entire length of the track will be tested using electricity once the construction process is finalised.
After completion, the Lahore Metro Project will be Pakistan’s first mass rapid transit train system, connecting Raiwind, Multan Road, McLeod Road, Lahore Junction Railway Station and the Grand Trunk Road.
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