Infrastructure and Transport News

[Neo]

Over Rs 600 million road network plan initiated

SIALKOT (June 20 2007): Sialkot district government has initiated a road network plan costing over Rs 600 million, under which repair and reconstruction of 127 roads in Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial tehsils of the district are being accomplished.

District Nazim Muhammad Akmal Cheema disclosed this while talking to reporters here on Tuesday. To streamline the traffic system, a comprehensive plan is being prepared by the Sialkot district government. Keeping in view the requirements of the next 50 years, a ring road would be constructed, he said.

Akmal Cheema said that construction work on Sialkot-Lahore road, costing Rs 20 billion would be carried out soon, which, on completion, would help reduce the travelling distance. The Nazim further revealed that Rs 55 million were being spent on widening of BRB Canal Bridge near Daska city, while Rs 350 million were being spent on widening of Sialkot-Head Marala road for channelling the traffic.

Akmal disclosed that more than Rs 45.2 million were being spent on agriculture technology, agricultural research, improvement of irrigation system, and provision of quality seeds and to ensure extension of agriculture. The step had been taken for introducing new agricultural technologies for increasing per acre yield of crops in Sialkot district, he added.

The District Nazim revealed that as many as 66 watercourses were nearing completion, of which 41 watercourses were being constructed in canal areas, and 25 in Barani area. The completion of these watercourses would not only ensure sufficient irrigation water, but would also prevent wastage of water in the district, he added.

Apart from this, he said adequate arrangements had been made for imparting agricultural education to the farmers and cultivators, besides exhibition plots were being prepared in various parts of the district for dissemination of necessary information to the growers about various crops.

The District Nazim disclosed that all out efforts were being made for the promotion of livestock sector at a cost of Rs 5.87 million besides seven veterinary dispensaries had been established, while rupees three million were available for undertaking new projects in Sialkot district.

Akmal vowed to convert Sialkot district into a model district of the Punjab and for this purpose all available resources were being mobilised in transparent manner for further accelerating the pace of development work.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=579953&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Musharraf orders timely completion of roads

ISLAMABAD, June 19: President Pervez Musharraf has directed the National Highways Authority to ensure timely completion of major road projects while maintaining stringent quality standards.

Speaking at a meeting of the Ministry of Communication held here on Tuesday to review the pace of road projects and the future plans, the president directed the authority to complete the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) by October this year. He directed the Ministry of Finance to release necessary funds.

He said the NHA must ensure completion on time to check cost escalation.

The president took note of the poor construction of the 68-kilometre Nowshera-Pabbi section and 48-kilometre Nooriabad-Hyderabad section and directed to initiate necessary action against the responsible for negligence.

He said that the quality of work must be ensured in future projects and warned that negligence would not be tolerated as far as the standard of the construction work was concerned.

Underscoring the need for involving the private sector in future projects on the build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis, President Musharraf said it would lessen the burden on the public sector.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/06/20/top10.htm

 

[Introvert]

$6-7bn to be spent on infrastructure

ISLAMABAD, June 22: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said has said that $6-7 billion will be spent on infrastructure development in Pakistan during the next five years.

Chairing a meeting to review the steps required to improve the logistics chain in the country, the premier said this year the federal government would spend Rs60 billion on infrastructure development and transportation.

The amount spent by the provincial governments in these sectors will be in addition to this, he added.

He said under the National Trade Corridor (NTC) Plan, the government is focusing on improving the end to end logistics chain to improve productivity and competitiveness of industrial sector.

Under NTC, he said improvements are being made in the system of railways, roads and highways.

Processes at the ports, airports and land borders have been simplified to reduce the clearance time. The completion of NTC plan and building of North-South Corridor would remove the road blocks to our industrial development and trade enhancement, he added.

“We want to jump the curve and do the right things rightly to improve our productivity and competitiveness,” he said.

The meeting decided that the Planning Commission and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) would jointly prepare a strategic framework to improve the business enabling infrastructure in Pakistan.

The Planning Commission will coordinate with all related departments to prepare the framework. The study that will be carried by a world class consulting firm will focus on determining the future growth requirements in Pakistan.

It will be completed within a year and will have five stages; assessing the current situation, setting growth priorities, critical enablers and alignments to NTC, syndication and stakeholders’ management, implementation, planning and institutionalisation.

Mr Aziz said the initiative is well timed and the first essential step to operationalise the vision 2030 approved by the National Economic Council (NEC) in its meeting held on May 31, 2007.

ADB Country Director, Peter L. Fedon said the strategic framework, to be jointly prepared by the ADB and Pakistan government, will focus on improving the competitive advantage of Pakistan. It will identify steps to bring improvements in terms of competitiveness and optimal utilisation of resources.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/06/23/ebr2.htm

 

[Neo]

Sindh government to build 278.6-km coastal highway ​

KARACHI (June 28 2007): Sindh Chief Minister has approved a summary for the construction of Sindh Coastal Highway, with new alignment of Super Highway, to Sehwan and new alternative road via Khokhrapar-Malir-Memon Goth-Darsano Chano-Haleji-Jhimpir-Jhirk-Mulla Katyar-Umerkot.

According to the feasibility report, the length of the highway is 278.6 km, whose cost has been estimated at Rs 3.053 billion, while the annual recurring expenditure after completion would be Rs 45.7 million. The pavement width would be 5.5 metres.

The summary was sent to the Chief Minister by Works and Services Department, and it proposed that the federal government may be approached to include the scheme in next year's PSDP to be executed by National Highway Authority (NHA), or it may be funded by provincial government as a special project, to be executed through a project director/chief engineer appointed for the purpose. The CM approved the proposal and has asked the Planning and Development Department to expedite the process.

A sum of Rs 50 million has been allocated in the 2007-08 provincial budget for the project. An official of Planning and Development Department told Business Recorder that the project would take around four years to be completed. He said that in the initial stage, the allocation was low and process was slower, but in middle and final stages the allocation would be higher and work would be speedier.

He said that in the provincial budget 2007-08, highest priority had been accorded to transport and communication sector, for which 19.55 percent of total ADP ie Rs 7660 million had been set aside.

Works and Services Department Sindh through a consultant had done the feasibility study of the project from Ghaggar Phatak to Ali Bandar. Pak Army had also cleared the proposed alignment. On the request of Sindh Government, the NHA had included it in Federal PSDP under NHA sector during 2003-04-05.

However, it was not reflected in MTDF 2005-10, giving rise to presumption that the planners in Islamabad had relegated this vital scheme to the backyard of development portfolio.

The department also approached donor agencies including ADB and JBIC for taking up this scheme but no commitment was made by them. Keeping in view the importance of this scheme, the CM perforce announced that Coastal Highway would be constructed by provincial government through provincial funds.

As it is an uphill task, because if the subject project costing more than Rs 3 billion was included in provincial ADP, it would be difficult to finance through regular T&C sector without critically damaging the on-going schemes portfolios.

Therefore, Works and Services Department proposed that the provincial government may fund the scheme as a special project to be executed through a project director/chief engineer appointed for the purpose, which the Chief Minister Sindh approved and allocations were made in the provincial budget.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=584032&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Sialkot allocated Rs 400 million for road construction ​

SIALKOT (June 29 2007): Sialkot District Government has allocated more than Rs 400 million in 2007-08 budget for the construction of new roads of 200km length in Sialkot, Pasrur, Daska and Sambrial tehsils of the district. District nazim Akmal Cheema told newsmen here on Thursday.

He said the construction of 93 new roads costing over Rs 356 million had been completed, repairing and reconstruction work of 85 roads costing Rs 230 million also completed.

District nazim disclosed that Rs 3.9 million had been set aside for the welfare of handicapped children, while free textbooks, uniforms, wheels chair and hearing aids will also be provided to them. Other facilities included a stipend of Rs 200 to each student, and pick and drop facility. He said 20 education schemes at a cost of Rs 55.1 million were initiated of them 11 schemes have been accomplished.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=584721&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System to be introduced soon ​

LAHORE (June 29 2007): The Punjab Transport Department will introduce Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) to provide international standard intra-city travelling facilities to the passengers of the metropolis with the cost of 2.4 billion dollars.

This mega project will be completed till 2020 and its first green track will be accomplished till 2012.The green track will stretch over 27-killometer track. This was stated by Chairman Planning and Development Suleman Ghani while talking to media men after addressing a seminar regarding the Lahore Rapid Mass Transport System, held here at a local hotel on Thursday. He said that the completion of the green track is the first and foremost priority of the Punjab government and after its accomplishment, better, fast and safe travelling facilities would be available for the common people.

He further said that Lahore was the second largest urban centre in Pakistan. In mid 2006 government estimates put the population at around 9 million people which places Lahore in the top 30 of the world's largest cities, he added. The population is growing rapidly and 30 percent of the workforce is employed in construction and car ownership is rising at 10-15 percent per annum, he pointed out.

He said that there are currently some 13.5 million daily commuters using various modes of transport. The public transport system of Lahore has not kept pace with the growing number of travellers, with the result that private car travelling is outstripping the highway network capacity and congestion is increasing on every passing day.

Consequently, attention is now focused on developing high quality; rail based rapid mass transit solutions for the city, he maintained.

The Regional Director and transport consultant Mazhar Iqbal while talking to Business Recorder said that after the completion of this project more than 200,000 people would travel daily through green track which would start from Humza Town to Shahdra Town and total route would be 27 km, he maintained.

Chairman P&D Suleman Ghani talking to this scribe said that according to feasibility report, the project had to be completed by 2012 but "we are trying our best to complete it in 2011, because the World Cup would be held in 2012 and before this we have to complete it," he observed.

The Secretary Transport Agha Nadeem, head of Provincial Transport Authority Khalid Mehmood Mehla and Regional Transport Secretary Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal and representatives of the various transport related departments and foreign consultants from various countries are also participating in the seminar.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=584736&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

‘Govt working on new railway services in Balochistan’​

QUETTA: Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Monday that discussions to improve the train service between Iran and Pakistan were underway with the Iranian government.

Inspecting various railway stations in Balochistan, the minister said that the government intended to develop the railway system in Balochistan, which was established by the British rulers in the late 1880s. He said that the government had started talks with Iran to increase the number of trains between Quetta and Zahidan, the capital of the Iranian province of Balochistan. He said that currently only one train ran between the two provincial capitals once a fortnight. He said that not only had Iran agreed to increase the number of trains, it has also shown interest in revamping the 361-kilometre Quetta-Zahidan railroad.

He said that the government had invited experts from Germany to prepare the feasibility report for Asia’s longest railroad tunnel between Chaman and Khozhak.

“President Musharraf has agreed to fulfill the demand of the people of Balochistan to start train services between Bostan and Zhob, which would later be connected to Peshawar. The government will spend Rs 8 billion on expanding the railroad network in Balochistan,” he said.

The minister said that train services in Balochistan had not been suspended in the recent floods. He said that Pakistan Railways (PR) had not suffered any serious losses in the floods. Damage to the tracks was minor, which the PR was capable of repairing, he added. He said that the government would provide better residential facilities to railway police personnel and the Frontier Corps (FC). He also promised that the next train service, whenever launched, would be launched from Balochistan to assure the people of the province of their participation in the development of the country.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\07\03\story_3-7-2007_pg7_17

 

[Neo]

Sialkot airport to be operational from next week ​

SIALKOT (July 03 2007): Sialkot International Airport will be operational in second week of current month and initially cargo and domestic flights would be operated. Airport sources told Business Recorder here on Sunday that this mega project costing Rs 2 billion had a great significance as it was totally financed by the private sector.

The project had undertaken on build, own and operate (BOO) basis. This modern and professionally designed International Airport has been developed over 1004 acres of land and fully equipped for handling B747-400, A300 and 737 aircraft. Most modern apron having the parking capacity for six wide-bodies aircraft or three airbus plus F-27 aircraft had been constructed at the airport. Besides 3600 meter long, 45-meter wide taxiway had also been constructed, they said.

The longest international runway of the country measuring 3.6 km had been constructed and it would cater to the requirements of all aircraft used for international and domestic cargo and passenger traffic. The work on main passenger terminal was in full swing, however, temporary arrangements had been made to accommodate passengers at the airport, they said.

The airport will not only cater to the needs of golden industrial triangle of Sialkot, Gujranwala and Gujrat but also generate thousands employment opportunities besides bringing a revolutionary change in the socio-economic development of the region.

With the merging of Dry Port, Export Processing Zone and Airport at Sialkot, it will ultimately help substantial increase in the exports from the area in future. Besides, the construction of mega project of Sialkot-Lahore motorway and setting up of an engineering university and industrial zone in the area had further increased the importance of the airport.

In the absence of airport, the exporters of Sialkot were confronting with multifarious problems because the air cargo from the area was sent via Lahore and Islamabad airports. With the support and co-operation of the government the construction of airport has been given practical shape, which would ultimately help reduce the logistic problems of exporters of the region.

The potential traffic forecast for Sialkot international airport is scaled down at the time of opening to 530,339 passengers a year while estimated cargo tonnage at the time of opening is expected to be 285,15 tonnes. This means that by the end of year 2012 about 53,000 tonnes of cargo will be lifted from the Airport.

Due to the provision of passenger facilities at Sialkot International Airport, it was estimated that the general public would benefit to the tune of over Rs 2 billion in terms of time and money savings.

Similarly, cargo handling at the airport would save more than Rs 1 billion for the businesses. The total saving of at least Rs 3 billion annually would be a perpetual benefit. The business community has played significant role in undertaking such a huge airport project elegantly on self-reliance basis for fulfilling their dream.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=586140&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Mekran Coastal Highway: minister sees serious flaws in design ​

KARACHI (July 03 2007): Some serious flaws in designing have been noticed at some of the locations of Mekran Coastal Highway (MCH) after it was washed away by rains and floods at various points. Flaws in its designing at some locations have surfaced as no study or data was available for annual rains and floods.

Federal Minister for Communication, Mohammed Shamim Siddiqui expressed these views in an exclusive interview to Business Recorder. According to him, it will take further two-and-a-half years to stabilise it for a steady traffic flow in conditions like storms and heavy rains.

He said the MCH would take at least two more years to stabilise to give reliable service to all vehicular traffic. The highway was inaugurated in December 2004. The recent cyclone has exposed the vulnerability and inadequacy of such poor execution in haste. Designing of MCH needs to be corrected, he said, adding that the project of such magnitude required accurate studies to build as it was not constructed for a limited period or limited traffic.

The MCH needed changes in its route due to design flaw, he said, adding that it would be stabilised by 2009. The recent cyclone '03B, 'Yemyin' that hit the Balochistan coastline and brought heavy rains was more devastating than the torrential rains of 2005 in the same area.

After 2005 rains, the initial cost for streamlining the highway and plugging of breaches and adding new culverts at various locations was Rs 150 million, but more funds is needed for redesigning the MCH. He said adding that the communication ministry had allocated an additional amount of Rs 850 million to construct more culverts and redesigning.

Various teams of National Highway Authority (NHA) deputed at affected portion of MCH are monitoring the situation to plug breaches and repair damaged culverts enroute. "We are assessing and evaluating the damages by the recent storm and it is estimated that Rs 250 to Rs 300 million would be required to rehabilitate the highway," he pointed out.

Shamim was of the view that the construction of MCH seemed to have been done in haste no one could evaluate at that time what was going to happen after storm or severe spell of rains. He said, "Some of the data was evaluated with help of local residents, which does not serve the purpose to construct such a big project."

The importance of MCH is increasing day by day due to Gwadar Port and after completing link with the Iranian border, he said, adding that this route would be useful for trading goods by road with Iran in near future.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=586089&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Rs 14.300 billion earmarked for road sector ​

LAHORE (July 03 2007): Punjab Minister for Communication and Works, Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din has said that Rs 14.300 billion have been earmarked during the current fiscal year for the road sector. The target for the construction of 600-km long new roads and widening of 700-km long existing roads had been fixed, he added.

He was presiding over a high-level meeting to review the Annual Development Programme of Communication and Works Department at his office here on Monday. Secretary C&W Muhammad Ahsan, Additional Secretary (Technical) Masood Rasool, Chief Engineer Highway (North & South) Superintending Engineers and Xens also attended the meeting.

The meeting was informed that out of a total of 641 schemes in road sector, 200 schemes had been fully funded, which would be completed during the current fiscal year. It was informed that 597 schemes would continue during the current fiscal year while 47 new schemes would also be launched.

About 10-feet wide roads would be widened up to 20-feet while 12-feet wide road would be widened up to 24-feet, the meeting was apprised. He directed officers to ensure quality of schemes at every cost besides timely completion of development schemes and warned that any negligence would not be tolerated.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=586122&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Laraib Energy signs $120 million loan documents with ADB, NBP and HBL ​

ISLAMABAD (July 03 2007): Laraib Energy Limited has signed loan documents with Asian Development Bank (ADB), National Bank of Pakistan and Habib Bank for $120 million for setting up 84 MW hydropower project, 8 km downstream Mangla dam.

The firm was very active in financial close during last several months but due to some bottlenecks on the part of government departments, it was delayed. However, documents for financial close were signed on June 30.

The power company in its press release on Monday said that with the rapidly deteriorating power situation in Pakistan and expensive thermal power plants in the pipeline required serious consideration of thermal and hydel mix, which is presently around 33 per cent.

Laraib hydropower project reached financial close after 12 years' efforts by the company's management and this situation also raises several questions ie is this the way to deal with serious investors? Last year, the government restored tariff policy of 1995 and what the power firm believe that for almost 10 years between 1997 and 2006 no commercially viable tariff was available.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=586116&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

EU to lift restrictions on PIA​

KARACHI: Restriction imposed on a segment of the PIA’s fleet by the Air Safety Committee of the European Union (EU) will be partially lifted from July 6, 2007.

The restriction, imposed by EU on March 6, 2007 disallowed PIA from operating its Boeing 747s and Airbus 310s (a fleet of 20 aircrafts) to European destinations.

According to a press release on Monday, the relaxation announced would enable PIA to operate eleven designated Boeing 747 and Airbus 310 aircrafts into Europe. The remaining fleet of similar aircrafts will be reviewed in September and October timeframe, when full removal of the restriction will be considered.

The Chairman of PIA, Zaffar A Khan said the progress the airline had made overcame the concerns of EU.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\07\03\story_3-7-2007_pg5_5

 

[Neo]

Malaysia And Pakistan Increase Flights To 14 Times Weekly​

By Umi Hani Sharani

KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Pakistan have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to increase air links from the current three weekly to 14 weekly frequencies.

Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy told Bernama that the present flights were not enough as both countries aim to further intensify bilateral trade, investment and tourism.

The flights will be seven each to Karachi and Lahore, while Pakistan will operate an equal number of flights to Kuala Lumpur and other points in Malaysia.

"Pakistan is an important country to us. The current frequencies are not adequate, especially now that we are promoting Malaysia aggressively not only for trade and investment, but for tourism as well in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007," he said in a telephone interview.

The agreement, he said, was inked yesterday after two days of bilateral Air Services Agreement (ASA) talks in Pakistan.

Chan said the idea to increase the flight frequencies was mooted late last year when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was on a state visit to Pakistan.

"This signing is a follow-up action by both countries' aviation authorities in a move to enhance bilateral relations in the area of economy and culture," he said.

Under the MoU, the airlines of both countries are also allowed to operate an unlimited number of frequencies exclusively for cargo operations.

Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines Commercial Director, Datuk Rashid Khan said the national carrier will be operating new services - Kuala Lumpur/Karachi/Lahore/ Kuala Lumpur - three times weekly starting 2008.

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v3/news_lite.php?id=271835

 

[Neo]

Foundation-stone laying of 'Lahore Mass Transit Train' project in September ​

LAHORE (July 10 2007): The foundation stone of 'Lahore Rapid Mass Transit Train' project would be laid in September this year, while a separate autonomous body would be established for the speedy implementation of this project.

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi stated this, while presiding over a high-level meeting, held to review the pace of work of Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System, here on Monday.

In the Phase-I, Green Line and Orange Line would be constructed which would cost $2.4 billion and $1.9 billion, respectively. The 'Green Train' would ply from Shahdara to Hamza Town via Ravi Road, Lower Mall, Mall Road, Fatima Jinnah Road, Qartaba Chowk and Ferozepur Road areas.

Similarly, the 'Orange Train' would run from Pakistan Mint to Sabzazar via Shahnur, Awan Town, Hinjarwal, Niaz Beg, Canal View, Wahdat Road, Ali Town, Salahuddin Road, Bund Road, Islam Park, Dera Gujjran Depot, Mahmood Booti, Salamatpura, Samanabad, Gulshan Ravi, Chauburji, Lake Road, Lakshami Chowk, Railway Station, Sultanpura, UET, Baghbanpura and Shalimar Garden areas.

In the Phase-II, 24-km-long Blue Line and 19-km-long Purple Line would be constructed. The 'Blue Train' will pass through Model Town and Gulberg, while the 'Purple Train' will pass through from Allama Iqbal Town, Cantonment Area and airport areas. The central interchange station of Green and Orange lines would also be established besides linking these lines at Ring Road, railway station, airport, and Sports City.

The chief minister said this project will not only solve traffic problems, but hundreds of thousands of people would also be provided comfortable, low-rate, safe and rapid transport facilities of international standard on daily basis.

He said this project is of great significance which would help resolve traffic problems apart from providing transport facilities of international standard in view of increasing population of Lahore.

This project will help promote tourism, expedite the process of social development and uplift of living standard of the people besides, leaving a positive impact on environment, he added.

He also said this project would help provide standardised transport facilities to accelerate the pace of economic development apart from generating job opportunities for the people, which will result in poverty alleviation from the province. Nevertheless, this project will enhance the beautification of Lahore and highlight its historical, cultural and traditional image, he added.

The chief minister said both the 'Green Line' and 'Orange Line' of this project would be completed by 2011 and 2015, respectively. He also said the Mass Transit Track would be 97-km-long, which will be included 27-km-long Green Line out of which 11.6-km-long track would be underground, while 15.4-km-long would be overhead.

He said that 12 underground and 10 overhead stations would be set up on it. Similarly, Orange Line would also be 27-km-long out of which, 6.9-km-long tracks would be underground, while 20.2-km-long would be overhead upon which six underground and 20 overhead stations would be established.

He said that one unit of air-conditioned train will have the seating capacity of 500 passengers. The mass transit stations of international standard would be constructed for the facility of passengers where security and escalators as well as other facilities would he provided, he added. He said initially, 227,000 people would benefit from the Green Train and 245,000 people from the Orange Train.

Punjab Transport Minister Mohyuddin Chishti, P&D Chairman Salman Ghani, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, G.M, Sikandar, Regional Director MVA Asia Ltd, Mazhar Iqbal, Consultants of MVA, Alexander Jonard, Mare Habi and other officers of P&D Department were also present on the occasion.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=590101&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Lahore mass transit system​

THE Punjab government continues to shuttle between the rail and the road in its search for a way out of the great commuters’ muddle which grows denser by the day. So when the government is not mulling improvements in its famous ring road plan for Lahore, it is thinking about providing the city with a mass train transit system. In fact, venturing beyond the planning stage, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has now announced that the project will be launched in September this year. The idea is most probably inspired by Delhi. The man behind the Delhi mass transit system was in the Punjab capital not too long ago to give a green signal to the Lahore rail project. An average Lahore wayfarer would be hoping that the path to the train would be less bumpy than has been the fate of the ring road plan that is there one moment and gone the next — which doesn’t rule out controversy.

The chief minister says that initially, two lines — orange line and green line — would be constructed by 2015. Each of it would be 27-kilometres long. Later, two more lines, purple and blue, will be added to complete the system. For long stretches, these lines would run overhead given that constructing an underground rail network in the city is not very feasible. To be completed with what an official handout calls ‘cooperation’ of the Asian Development Bank, the first two lines will cost $3.3 billion. In real terms, the cost of the project is yet to be worked out. Surely, notes of dissent are expected to start pouring in. The economists are going to question the heavy debt the project will incur for the government and the citizens, while the opposition politicians are most definitely going to give their own colour to these lines and the sabza group may soon be out to enumerate the effects of this development on Lahore’s environment. Some of these points may be very valid and should elicit a thoughtful response from the government. There can be no moving ahead without this exercise. The sooner this essential exercise is carried out the better it would be for everyone.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/07/12/ed.htm#2