A train for all
Lahore Orange Line Metro Train project is in the lime light these days. It is going to revolutionize the transport culture of the metropolitan. The international standard transportation will provide a safe, reliable, cheap and efficient ride. The Orange line metro train project is designed and constructed in an exemplary way to bring maximum comfort for a common man.
Orange Line Metro Train will facilitate people from all walks of life without any discrimination. It is worth mentioning that Lahore Orange Line Metro will not only provide a dignified ride to a healthy man but the physically challenged people mistakenly known as Disables will be also beneficiaries of this project.
In the past people with disabilities could not travel in a public transport due to lack of facilities. They feared that it will be difficult for them to embark or disembark from a local transport, what if they get lost and how will they manage to reach their destination on their own therefore they chose to stay at home and cut off their social life. The disables were vanished from social spheres and they had to abandon their dream to get education, job and exposure on the account of high risks of troubles in transportation.
Now, with the introduction of Orange Line Metro Train Project the situation is going to be changed. Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project has been started with the aim to facilitate a common man therefore Government of Punjab has paid special heed to the empowerment and mobility of disables. It will provide a safe, comfortable and reliable ride to disables.
The Metro Train has been carefully designed to cater the transportation needs of disables. To ease the journey of disables wheel chairs will be available at the metro stations free of cost. All station platforms are planned to be 102 meters long providing vast space for passengers to stay. The station platforms will also have screen doors for the safety of disables. Moreover these stations will have escalators to ease the physically challenged people; they will be able to move independently like never before.
It has been quoted by officials that:
“All stations of Lahore Orange Line Metro will be accessible for disabled passengers from the street to platform level”
Small shops and kiosks at every station will allow the passengers to purchase newspapers, drinks and snacks. Toilets will be established at every station to assist the disables. Punjab Government has realized the problems of disables; adequate measures have been taken to encourage the marginalized people to travel in public transport without relying on others.
Lahore Orange Line Metro Train will promote a culture of care and realization. The Drivers and conductors will be trained to help people with disabilities. They will provide a boarding and exiting ramp if you just let the driver know which station you need to exit at. Some stations may also have a Raised Boarding Platforms to bridge the gap between the train and the platform making the disables empowered and self dependant.
Apart from the basic requirements, Lahore Orange Line Metro Train will also ease the disables by providing them fully air conditioned travelling experience in a public transport. It will be free of jolts and abrupt shaking saving the disables from frustration and inconvenience.
The Metro trains of the other countries have also succeeded in promoting the ridership of disables through providing comfortable Mass Transit systems. They have adopted special measures for helping people with hearing or speech impairment and a crystal clear increase in the mobility and social activities of the masses was recorded.
It is very appealing that where Lahore Orange Line Metro Train will be comfortable and economical at the same time. The expected end to end fair is merely 20 rupees which is the cheapest in the world. In fact disables will also get additional compensation if required.
Although Lahore Orange Line Metro Train has been not completed yet but the aspect of comforting the disables has been a top priority since beginning. The inclusion of disables is a clear reflection of CM Punjab Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s vision as he has a very soft corner for disables. Recently he had also taken the initiative of Khidmat Card for the economic welfare of disables and now the provision of a comfortable ride for the poor and disables is an exquisite addition to the list.
In a nutshell Lahore Orange Line Metro Train will prove a blessing for the disables. Let’s hope that this disables friendly project get completed in no time and improve the lives of disables people. It is said that after every challenge there is a reward, I feel that our disabled brothers have been facing the social isolation challenge for a long time and now Lahore Orange Line Metro Train will lead them to their reward of a happy and independent life again.
http://nation.com.pk/business/02-May-2016/a-train-for-all
