On October 25, 2021 the Orange Line Metro Train is all set to complete its one year of prolific operation with a total ridership exceeding 20 million. Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar inaugurated the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) on October 25, 2020 thanking the Chinese government for making state-of-the-art electric rail-based transport facilities possible for Pakistani people.
The Orange Line Metro Railway Project, with 26 stations and a track spanning over 27 kilometres, is Pakistan’s first urban railway system as well as the first implemented large-scale public infrastructure project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under the One-Belt One-Road initiative. In one year, the performance of Orange Line has gone beyond international standards with 90,000 train trips, covering a total distance of 12 million kilometres, the trip efficiency and the punctuality rate at 99.9 percent.
With the successful commencement of the Orange Line project, Pakistan owns the most advanced and modern urban rail transit system in South Asia. The corridor opened up the economic artery of Lahore that runs through the entire city, fully optimising the city’s development structure. More than 12 million people are able to enjoy the innovative, efficient, and safe transportation services.
Since the inception of project, the China-Pakistan team of the O&M JV has made every effort to ensure the smooth operation and maintenance of Orange Line Metro Train, and it has withstood numerous challenges like the spread of a COVID epidemic, frequent power fluctuation and long-term heavy foggy weather.
The Orange Line project, taking advantage of the corridor’s large-scale infrastructure, produced around 7,000 jobs for local engineers, construction workers and other labourers during the construction phase. It has created more than 1,300 brand new and permanent jobs in the local market after its operation. More than 2000 jobs were being created in various other related services, like ticketing, security, cleaning and other areas. It has assisted the population in solving employment problems by effectively expanding the employment space for local management and technical talent.
After the inauguration of Orange Line Project, the O&M JV spared no effort to combine Chinese/international standards with local practices to standardise operations and maintenance work; therefore, it prepared 60 operation manuals, 360 professional training materials, 560 operation regulations and 670 training videos, and has built a customised, standardised and comprehensive operation system of modern metro rail transit for the local industry.
Chinese experts along with 1,300 Pakistani engineers and technicians kept on performing the duties like daily inspection, periodic maintenance, fault handling, emergency rescue and other work. All local technicians were guided to learn technical knowledge and experience, follow the practice and standards originated from China. After one year’s careful guidance and training, 1,300 local employees have the ability to work independently, making the localisation rate of employees of Orange Line exceeding 97 percent.
Local talent is gradually taking positions like dispatchers and engineers which initially were mainly undertaken by Chinese experts. At present, most technical work is performed by local employees, as Chinese experts are mainly focusing on supervision and double checking and handling major and emergency failures.
The operation of the OLMT will also reduce the use of old cars within the city, reduce emission of gases, improve on environmental pollution and promote green and sustainable development of the city. Orange Line Metro is driven by all electric energy to achieve zero pollution and zero emission. It is estimated that the annual average fuel emission of gases will be reduced by 30,000 tons.
The operation and maintenance of the Orange Line adopts the principle of localisation. a large number of consumables, tools, equipment and services are procured from local market, which has promoted the development of local industry and a number of local small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Orange Line project carries the historical responsibility and solemn promise of bilateral cooperation between China and Pakistan, and has fulfilled the long-cherished aspirations of generations of Pakistan. The design, construction and operation of the Orange Line contains the sincere cooperation and joint efforts of the Chinese and Pakistani teams. In the future, it will serve as a national image and engine of urban development to help improve the level of local economic and social development and further promote the stability and long-term development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which has become a symbol of friendship between China and Pakistan in the new era.