Chinese bank transfers first tranche for Orange Line

LAHORE: The Exim Bank of China has transferred Rs5.5 billion first tranche of the loan for the Orange Line Train Project into the account of Chinese contractor CR-Norinco working on the rapid transportation system plan in Lahore.

This was stated by Khwaja Ahmad Hassaan, chairman of the steering committee constituted by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the Orange Line, while presiding over a meeting on Wednesday to review the ongoing progress on the project.

Mr Hassaan said so far about 30 per cent of the civil work of the project had been completed which was according to the fixed timelines.

Experts from China Engineering Consultants and experts from CR-Norinco had arrived in Lahore for monitoring the quality and quantity of ongoing work in order to ensure its completion according to international standards.

He said initially the train would provide a safe, efficient and economic mode of transport to 300,000 passengers daily through the densely populated and busy commercial areas of the provincial metropolis. Within the next three years, the trains would be ferrying 500,000 or so passengers.

Mr Hassaan directed the representatives of various utility service departments to chalk out and implement a standard operating procedure (SOP) for shifting of services, especially of sensitive institutions like hospitals and schools. He urged them for utilising alternate sources for ensuring uninterrupted supply of electricity, water, Sui gas and other such services, for avoiding inconvenience to the patients, students and general public at these places.

He directed Lesco officials for finishing maximum task of shifting of electrical installation before the advent of Ramazan so that people do not have to suffer due to power shutdown. He asked Wasa officials for assessing requirement of additional arrangements as well as machinery required for disposal of water during the coming rainy season and arranging its availability well before time.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2016