Orange Line (Lahore Metro)

Orange Line
نارنجی خط
Overview
Type Rapid transit
System Lahore Metro
Status Under Construction
Locale Lahore, Pakistan
Stations 36
Daily ridership 250,000
Operation
Character Elevated & underground
Technical
Line length 27.1 km (16.8 mi)
Highest elevation over 25.4 km

The Orange Line (Urdu: نارنجی خط‎) of the Lahore Metro, is a 27.1 km (16.8 mi) long rapid transit line currently under construction in Lahore, Pakistan. 25.4 km (15.8 mi) of the line will be elevated, while the remainder will be underground. The number of stations along this line will be 36 while total capacity of the Orange Line is expected to reach 250,000 passenger daily, with trains stopping at each station for 20 seconds. The trains are each made up of seven wagons, with a nominal capacity of 1,300 seated and standing passengers. The maximum speed of the trains is 80 km/h (50 mph) per hour which will be tempered to an average of 45 km/h (28 mph) per hour due to stoppages at stations along the route.[1]

History

The architecture, construction and operation of the orange line has been entrusted to the Chinese government and the estimated completion time is 27 months. The project was initiated with a signed agreement between the governments of Pakistan and China in May 2014. Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif signed the agreement from Pakistan side at a ceremony which was also witnessed by President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain and Chinese President Xi Jinping.[2] This project was started 15 months after the inauguration of Pakistan's first rapid transit service of buses, Lahore Metrobus. The project will cost $1.6 billion. This project is under construction and is expected to be completed by October 2019.[3]

It will be the first line of the Lahore Metro, which is country's first mass rapid transit train system.[4][5] The 27-kilometer metro train is expected to cost $500 million out of which $300 million would come from the Federal Government of Pakistan, the rest is financed through soft loan's by the Government of China as a part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor through the Export-Import Bank of China.[6] These loans would be paid back by Punjab Government in installments over a 20-year period.[7]

The corridor will be capable of accommodating two trains running both up and down the track, ferrying up to 30,000 passengers per hour. According to reports, the design speed of the proposed train is 70 km/hr but the scheduled speed while it will be stationed by 26 train stations of, two will be constructed underground.[8] The project has been subject to criticism on charges of transparency,[9] while environmental groups have been critical of the environmental sustainability of the project.[10][11][12] The construction of this project has had multiple accidents and deaths.[13][14]

Route

The Orange Line Metro will run on a 27.1-kilometer track, of which 25.4 kilometers will be elevated. The service will initially benefit around 250,000 passengers a day. The capacity will be increased to 500,000 passengers a day by 2025. Shehbaz Sharif on the occasion said that the Metro Bus Service, the metro train would also be implemented in other cities after Lahore. “The metro train will revolutionize the way people travel as it will make the commute trouble-free,”.[15] project implementation is well underway.

Stations

The project is in the construction stage. A precise map of the project is not available but the proposed routes that will be covered by the project are as follow:[16]

Orange Line

[17]
Ali Town Terminal
Niaz Baig
Canal View
Hanjarwal
Wahadat Road
Awan Town
Sabzazar
Shahnoor
Salahudin Road
Bund Road
Samanabad
Gulshan-e-Ravi
Chauburji]
Lake Road
CENTRAL
Lakshami Chowk
Lahore Junction Station
Sultanpura
UET Lahore
Baghbanpura
Shalimar Gardens
Pakistan Mint
Mahmood Booti
Salampura
Islam Park
Dera Gujran Terminal [18]

Heritage Concerns

Various people and organizations have raised concerns that the Lahore Metro Orange Line might be a possible threat to the old heritage sites in this historical city.[19]

See also

References

  1. ↑ FINANCING PLUS ENGINEERING, PROCUREMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF METRO RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM ON OF THE ORANGE LINE IN LAHORE (PHASE-I FROM ALI TOWN TO LAHORE RAILWAY STATION)
  2. ↑ "Pakistan, China sign pact on Lahore Orange Line metro project", Dawn, Lahore, 22 Mar 2014. Retrieved on 20 October 2014.
  3. ↑ Reporter, Newspaper's (May 15, 2015). "Lahore Metro Train Approved". Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Good news on track: Lahore to get Pakistan’s first metro train", Express Tribune, Lahore, 23 Mar 2014. Retrieved on 20 October 2014.
  5. ↑ Development agenda: Lahore metro train gets green signal
  6. ↑ "Infrastructure project: First tranche of OLMT loan released - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2016-05-12. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  7. ↑ "China financing Orange Line Metro Train: Shahbaz Sharif - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  8. ↑ Hasnain, Khalid (2015-06-26). "City to lose 620 trees for Orange Line train". www.dawn.com. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  9. ↑ "Orange Line hearing: Govt told to present metro train agreement - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2016-05-03. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  10. ↑ Shahid, Jamal (2015-06-08). "'Environmental and economic sustainability' of CPEC assured". www.dawn.com. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  11. ↑ Hasnain, Khalid (2015-07-27). "'Conditional' approval of Orange Line project EIA". www.dawn.com. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  12. ↑ "'Metro train will change country's transport culture' - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 2016-04-25. Retrieved 2016-05-12.
  13. ↑ "Orange Line project claims 4 more lives - Samaa TV". Retrieved 2016-07-24.
  14. ↑ "Orange Line crane accident kills two in Lahore - Samaa TV". Retrieved 2016-01-17.
  15. ↑ "Pakistan, China sign Lahore metro train agreement", Express Tribune, Lahore, 22 Mar 2014. Retrieved on 20 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "Good news on track: Lahore to get Pakistan’s first metro train", Express Tribune, Lahore, 23 Mar 2014. Retrieved on 20 October 2014.
  17. ↑ http://www.urbanrail.net/as/lahore/lahore.htm
  18. ↑ http://www.urbanrail.net/as/lahore/lahore.htm
  19. ↑ News Report about Heritage Concerns
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