25 October 2020: After a delay of nearly three years, the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) starts its commercial service.

As an early harvest project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Orange Line was constructed by China State Railway Group Co Ltd and China North Industries Corporation and was operated by Guangzhou Metro Group, Norinco International and Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service.

27 energy-saving electric trains, each comprising five air-conditioned wagons, with the operating speed of 80km per hour, provides a comfortable, secure and economical traveling facility to 250,000 passengers daily, according to Xinhua.

One-way train fare from Dera Gujran to Ali Town is Rs 40 (25 US cents).

Below is a timeline of how it all happened over the years.

9 August 2018: The OLMT is likely to face more delays as the caretaker government has stopped the payments for all ongoing projects. Earlier, the contractors were advised to wait till 25 July Election Day. However, it is now being indicated that the fate of all development projects will be decided by the new government. – Express Tribune

16 May: Test run ceremony of OLMT was held today at Islam Park station.

27 Feb: History in the making: The Lahore citizens saw a trial run of OLMT today. The train, as part of its trial run, was run near its depot and authorities said that a 12km portion of the track, from Dera Gujran to Lakshmi Chowk, will be completed during this week.

2 Feb: Islampark Station: In an attempt to make up for the loss of time caused due to the stay order of the Lahore High Court on the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project for 14 months, the construction work is being continued at an expedited speed, a senior government official said.

8 Dec 2017: The Supreme Court dismisses the decision of Lahore High Court halting work on selected sites of the OLMT project.

The court accepts the appeal of the Punjab government against the LHC decision with conditions and rules by a 4-1 judgment that it observes no illegalities in the multi-billion-rupee project.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, had reserved its verdict in the case on April 17 this year. The bench includes Justices Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Maqbool Baqar, Ijazul Ahsan and Mazhar Alam Miankhel.

Although the court allows the Punjab government to go ahead with the project at the same speed, the bench sets 31 conditions to ensure the project’s transparency. It also asks for forming a five-member technical committee with overarching authority for a year. 

The committee will include experts from the archaeology department as well as a former Supreme Court justice. It will present its recommendations to the chief minister. – Geo

6 Dec: The Chinese staff will control and supervise the functioning of the OLMT for five years. Adviser to CM Khawaja Ahmad Hassan says that the Chinese staff will impart training to the local staff, which would enable them to operate the train system later.

8 Oct: The first train for OLMT, which arrived in Lahore from China this week, was unveiled by the Punjab CM.

Only 12 weeks are left in the expiry of 25 December deadline. The authorities are in no position to announce a fresh deadline as three different cases – environment, heritage and transparency – are with courts.

The authorities say they have alternative plans A, B and C ready to deal with every situation although the details of these fallback plans cannot be divulged at this stage. More later this month.

25 Sept: The first shipment of rolling stock for OLMT, which arrived in Karachi from China last week, is to reach Lahore this week.

23 train sets will arrive in Lahore by the end of this year. Coaches for all the 27 trains will be available in Lahore by mid-March 2018.

75 per cent of civil work OLMT Project has been completed so far. Progress:

Package-I from Dera Gujran, GT Road to Chauburji: 86.2 percent

Package-II from Chauburji to Ali Town: 53.5 percent

Stabling Yard near Ali Town: 75.3 percent

15 May: A train designed for OLMT rolled off the production line in central China’s Hunan. It is the first of the 27 trains being bought for OLMT. The trains will arrive in Lahore by end of year.

26 April: Preliminary work for laying track for OLMT project starts at Islam Park station while first consignment of rolling stock from China will be received in June.

17 April: The Supreme Court reserves its judgement in the case of OLMT Project in Lahore after two weeks of hearings.

A five-judge bench headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan continued to hear an appeal by the Punjab government against the Lahore High Court’s August 2016 order that had suspended the construction of the Rs 45 billion OLMT within 200 feet of 11 historical sites in the city.

2 Feb: LDA, Nespak and TEPA have been directed for remodelling of roads through U-turns, intersections and other solutions at appropriate points for smooth flow of vehicles along 27km track of OLMT, passing through busy and congested areas of Lahore city.

Meanwhile, OLMT’s Chinese contractors, CR-NORINCO, strongly criticise the Punjab government for its failure to get a go-ahead from a court to start construction at 12 heritage sites under litigation. The delay has lasted over a year. The contractors ask authorities to outline the time period required to get OLMT project cleared from the court. No construction activity can start on the underground central station near Mall Road until then.

Package-I from Dera Gujran, G T Road to Chauburji: 75 percent

Package-II from Chauburji to Ali Town: 45 percent

Package-III depot near Dera Gujran: 63 percent

Package-IV Stabling Yard near Ali Town: 59 percent

26 Jan 2017: The FBR issues a notification to grant ECC-approved Rs 20 billion exemption from taxes and duties on the import of machinery and equipment for the Lahore’s OLMT project.

21 Nov 2016: The OLMT project will not be able to meet its Dec 2017 completion deadline, a senior technical expert associated with the project told Dawn.

Work on package-II of the project has been on hold after the Punjab government cancelled the contract awarded to the Maqbool and Calson Joint Venture (MCJV) and re-tendered the project to another firm, Zahir Khan & Brothers (ZKB).

26 Oct: OLMT project may face substantial delays as construction has been stopped near 11 heritage sites on court orders while the contract of one of the builders for Package-II has been revoked for sluggish performance.

More than 50 percent of ground civil works on Package-1 between Dera Gujran and Chauburji is complete.

To find replacement contractor for remaining civil works on Package-2 between Chauburji and Ali Town, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has received seven new bids. Time for completion of remaining civil works has now been increased from 130 days to 150 days.

The Chinese contractors will start laying rail tracks and initiate electrical works on completed sections of the OLMT track from January 2017.

It may be challenging for the Chinese engineers to install rails before the deadline as construction activity has already been delayed by nearly a year.

The Metro train will run on 750 volts of electricity. Lahore Electricity Supply Company (Lesco) has started constructing new grid stations which will be up and running before the project’s completion date.

14 Oct: The Sup­reme Court appoin­ts a two-man commission of experts for re-verification of the environmental assessment reports on OLMT project of Lahore in 30 days. It will comprise TYPSA-Asian Consulting Engineers and Prof Robin Conin­gham, an expert on archaeology.

15 Sept: Work starts on manufacturing 27 automatic trains for OLMT project.

19 Aug: Lahore High Court (LHC) stops Metro train construction near 11 heritage sites. These are: Shalamar Garden, Gulabi Bagh Gateway, Buddhu ka Awa, Chauburji, Zebunnisa’s Tomb, Lakshmi Building, GPO, Aiwan-i-Auqaf, Sup­reme Court’s Lahore registry, St Andrews Presbyterian Church and Baba Mauj Darya Bukhari’s shrine. Appeal is to go to Supreme Court.

19 Aug: LHC dismisses petitions regarding environmental concerns related to OLMT.

23 Feb 2016: EXIM Bank of China is giving soft loan to the Punjab government for OLMT project, tweeted CM. The loans will be payable in 20 years.

It is for the first time that tendering took place in the govt-to-govt (G2G) mode of financing. NORINCO, the lowest bidder, quoted a cost of $2.139 billion.

The Punjab government negotiated with the contractor to bring the cost down and was able to secure a saving of more than $600 million. They settled on $1.47 billion (PKR 154 billion) as the project cost.

10 Oct 2015: PM Sharif chairs a meeting on OLMT project in Lahore as civil works start on Multan Road and Metro route.

21 June: Civilian work on OLMT starts this week by the Punjab government. Geotagging to complete by 28 June: Nespak

14 May: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) gives a go-ahead to the Rs165.2/$1.62 billion OLMT project, which will be funded by a $1.6 billion concessionary loan from China.

OLMT is part of 50+ CPEC projects which were signed during the visit of China’s President Xi Jingping to Pakistan.

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28 April 2015: The Provincial Development Working Party in Punjab approves Orange LineMetro Train (OLMT) in Lahore at the cost of Rs 165.2 billion ($1.6 billion).

A representative delegation of China Railways and Norinco International China had met Punjab CM earlier this month and agreed on the OLMT project.

OLMT project will result in speedy, comfortable and economical transport facilities to the citizens and will revolutionise transport system.

The 27/1km OLMT will be completed in three years including delays. 26 stations will be constructed on the route and nearly 200,000 people will commute every day. Operating speed will be 80 km/h (50 mph).

OLMT will prove to be a milestone in mass-transit railway (MTR) transport.

Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) Lahore Highlights:

Track: 25.4km elevated; 1.72km underground

Cost (revised): Rs 154 billion (US$1.5 billion)

The beginning, the delays and the start of the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) as it happened

Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) starts service

25 October 2020: After a delay of nearly three years, the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) starts its commercial service. As an early harvest project under CPEC, the Orange Line was constructed by China State Railway Group Co Ltd and China North Industries Corporation and was operated by Guangzhou Metro Group, Norinco International and Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service. 27 energy-saving electric trains, each comprising five air-conditioned wagons, with the operating speed of 80km per hour, provides a comfortable, secure and economical traveling facility to 250,000 passengers daily, according to Xinhua. Our separate story here.

5 Aug 2020: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approves the $6.8 billion ML-1 railway project under CPEC. Pakistan’s existing 2,655 km railway tracks will be upgraded to allow trains to move up to 165km per hour - twice as fast as they currently do - while the line capacity will increase from 34 to over 150 trains each way per day.

Groundbreaking will happen in February 2021, and the project will complete by 2030.

5 Nov 2019: Pakistan and China set a new ↓ direction of CPEC by largely shifting away from infrastructure projects, except the $9 billion Main Line-1 (ML1) project. Other decisions to expand the CPEC scope to copper, gold, and oil and gas sectors were taken during the 9th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting in Islamabad.

28 April 2019: List of Agreements signed during PM IK's visit to Beijing for BRF 2019, according to Chinese Embassy in Islamabad

1. CPFTA-II (China Pakistan Free Trade Agreement Phase II)

3. Declaration of Completion of Preliminary Design Phase-I on Upgradation of ML1

4. China-Pakistan Economic & Technological Cooperation Agreement

5. MOU on CPEC Social Economic Cooperation

10 September 2018: PM Imran Khan establishes a nine-member committee to evaluate CPEC projects. It is scheduled to meet for the first time this week and will “think through CPEC – all of the benefits and the liabilities”, says Abdul Razak Dawood, who sits on the new committee, and is advisor to PM on commerce, textiles, industry and investment.

“I think we should put everything on hold for a year so we can get our act together,” he added. “Perhaps we can stretch CPEC out over another five years or so.”

Several other officials and advisers concur that extending the terms of CPEC loans and spreading projects out over a longer timeframe is the preferred option, rather than outright cancellation. – says a news report in Financial Times, London.

13 July: Pakistan and China inaugurate the optic fibre cable that has been laid to provide direct link between Pakistan, the Middle Asia and East Asia. Caretaker PM Nasirul Mulk, Chinese Ambassador Yao Jing were present at the inauguration ceremony in Islamabad.

The cable connects Rawalpindi with Khunjerab on the Pakistan-China border at an altitude of 4,700 meters, the highest fibre cable project in the world. Later, the cable will be extended to Gwadar, which will fully connect Pakistan and China.

Total cost was estimated at $44 million and Exim Bank of China provided 85% of loan at a concessionary rate. Construction work on the project started in March 2016 and ended in June 2018. The cable covers an area of 820km. There are 26 microwave transmission nodes from Rawalpindi to Karimabad and 171 km of aerial fibre cable from Karimabad to Khunjerab as a back-up. – Express Tribune.

7 March 2018: A first commercial shipment carrying containers of seafood from Gwadar leaves for Dubai’s Jebel Ali port. With this, China’s state-owned shipping and logistics services supplier, China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), starts a weekly container shipping service from Gwadar Port every Wednesday.

18 Dec: The CPEC Long Term Plan (LTP) approved by both Chinese and Pakistani governments has been unveiled in Islamabad. According to Chinese Embassy tweets:

By 2020, the CPEC will take the initial shape, major bottlenecks to Pakistan’s economic and social development will be addressed, and the CPEC will start to boost the economic growth along it for both countries.

By 2025, the CPEC building phase done, the industrial system nearly complete, major economic functions brought into play in a holistic way, the people’s livelihood along the CPEC significantly improved and regional economic development more balanced.

By 2030, the CPEC building phase to be entirely accomplished, endogenous mechanism for sustainable economic growth in place, CPEC’s role in stimulating economic growth in Central and South Asia brought into holistic play, and South Asia to grow into international economic zone with global influence.

The LTP has an ambitious goal and an arduous task. As long as governments and people of two countries treat each other with all sincerity and cooperate sincerely, they will build CPEC into an open, inclusive one with economic prosperity, social stability and security, and wellbeing of people.

The LTP will provide macro guidance for implementation of CPEC in next phase. The plan will be adjusted based on real situation as well as the consensus between two parties during its implementation in future. New routes/ nodes/ aspects may be considered in future by mutual agreement.

21 Nov: The 7th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting on CPEC is being held today in Islamabad.

8 Nov: The 7th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting on CPEC will be held on 21 Nov in Islamabad. It will approve nine Special Economic Zones (SEZs) to be constructed along CPEC. The planned nine SEZs with special incentive packages for foreign investors will be operational by 2025. 

Financing agreements on three road projects – remaining portion of Karakoram Highway (KKH), D.I. Khan to Zhob and Khuzdar to Basima will be signed at the meeting. It is likely that CPEC long term plan will also be approved at JCC. In addition, Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project may also be placed for final approval.

7 Nov: President Mamnoon Hussain inaugurates Bank of China’s operations in Pakistan, says China has emerged as a major investor and partner for Islamabad. Bank of China Chairman Chen Siqing says the Karachi branch is its first in South Asia.

18 Oct: A delegation of Chinese experts and investors was in Pakistan during 11-18 October to explore new trade avenues and investment opportunities in 9 SEZs. They held workshops and meeting in Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Islamabad organised by the Board of Investment (BoI). They also visited SEZs in Punjab, Sindh, Rawalpindi, Gilgit-Baltistan and Gwadar Port Industrial Zone in Balochistan.

8 Sept: PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi forms an 11-member Cabinet Committee on CPEC, overhauling the existing institutional arrangement and bypassing the planning ministry. The CPEC committee members are finance minister, interior minister, foreign minister, railways minister, ports and shipping minister, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Dr Miftah Ismail, Secretary to the Prime Minister Fawad Hassan Fawad, the Federal Board of Revenue chairman, and the Secretaries of Planning and Cabinet divisions.

13 July: 46 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) will be established along side the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route in the long run, Board of Investment (BoI) chairman Dr Miftah Ismail tells Pakistan-China Industrial Cooperation Dialogue. Nine zones (see below) have already been declared prioritised during the 6th JCC meeting held in December 2016.

12 July: Speaking at a two-day CPEC Logistics International Forum (CLIF) in Islamabad organised by army’s NLC (National Logistics Cell), Pakistan’s army chief General Qamar Bajwa says CPEC will be a game changer. Assuring the project’s continuity and security, he says the army will fully guard the CPEC plan.

11 July: Li Xuedoung, DG, National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China, says the plan to upgrade ML-1, the main railway track joining Peshawar with Karachi, is a key priority of the working agenda under CPEC. Li meets Khawja Saad Rafique, Minister for Railways at his office.

The ML-1 upgradation project will be completed in five years at the cost of $8 billion. China will provide $5.5 billion while $2.5 billion will come from Asian Development Bank (ADB).

3 July: The 1320MW Sahiwal Coal-Fired Power Plant (Units 1 & 2) – CPEC’s one of early-harvest projects – is completed ahead of time in 22 months and goes into operation. Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif and a Chinese minister inaugurate it, with Chinese ambassador in attendance.

28 May: First round of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan practical cooperation dialogue is held in Beijing. The dialogue is co-chaired by Mansoor Ahmed Khan, Xiao Qian and Khalid Payenda. Three sides appreciate CPEC and its benefits for promoting regional connectivity.

28 May: MoU is signed with China for upgradation of Peshawar to Karachi Railway line called ML-1 as the federal government allocates over Rs 42 billion in new budget to reinvigorate railways network.

25 May: The 660MW Sahiwal Coal-Fired Power Plant (Unit 1) – one of CPEC’s early harvest projects – becomes operational today. PM Sharif inaugurates it. Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif is a force behind its earlier-than-scheduled completion.

12 May: PM Sharif and the four chief ministers arrive in Beijing to attend Belt and Road Forum on 14-15 May where they are likely to sign various MoUs.

11 May: Pakistan’s Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approves Gwadar East Bay Expressway

Addressing a public gathering in Gwadar, PM Sharif says 1,100km roads are being constructed in Balochistan

Federal Minister SAFRON Gen Abdul Qadir Baloch says more than 60 countries are willing to invest in Gwadar

PM announces to build a university and a 300-beds hospital in Gwadar

14 March: Construction work on Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project will start soon: PM Sharif speaking in Karachi

7 March: A team of Chinese engineers is in Quetta to start work on the Quetta Mass Transit Train (QMTT) Project. After a feasibility report, the Chinese firm has sought an NOC from the government to start work on 48km QMTT from Spezant to Kuchlak. In the current budget, the Balochistan government has allocated Rs 1 billion for QMTT feasibility. In December, the project was included in CPEC at 6th JCC in Beijing. The QMTT funds will come from CPEC kitty.

6 March: The federal government plans to build a CPEC Tower in Islamabad. As a sign of Pak-China friendship, the tallest building in the capital will serve as a symbol of socioeconomic progress Pakistan is making across all fronts and will attract investors.

5 Feb: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is now worth $57 billion, according to Reuters news agency. Other agencies term the current projects valued at $51 billion.

3 Feb: PM Sharif inaugurates the completed first 75km-section of the 136km six-lane Karachi-Hyderabad (M-9) Motorway. The sections 2 and 3 will be completed by March and July respectively by FWO.

As part of Peshawar-Lahore-Karachi motorway route, M-9 will connect Karachi with the rest of the country and also facilitate the CPEC traffic. According to one guesstimate, once completed, CPEC-related toll tax collection may amount to a couple of billion dollars a year.

January:  9 CPEC Special Economic Zones (SEZs)

Under next development phase, nine CPEC Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are being set up in the country, as agreed in the 6th JCC in Beijing on 29 Dec last year.

Of these, two industrial zones are being set up by the federal government in Islamabad and Karachi. The rest of seven are established each in Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Fata and Azad Kashmir. Here are details:

Federal 1: ICT Model Industrial Zone, Islamabad

Federal 2: Development of Industrial Park on Pakistan Steel Mills Land at Port Qasim near Karachi

Punjab: Punjab-China Economic Zone, M-2 Sheikhupura district

27 Jan: In a major development, which is a milestone in its execution, Sahiwal Power Plant has been connected with the national grid (500KVA Line). It is six months ahead of schedule. First coal-laden 1,500-tonnes freight train arrives at Sahiwal coal power plant from Port Qasim Karachi on 1 Feb. Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif receives.

3 Jan: Milestone: Another big Chinese ship visits Gwadar Port. After three years of maintenance and renovation, the port is restored to its designed capacity. Gwadar Free Zone is now under construction: Lijian Zhao, DCM, Chinese Embassy

30 Dec: Under CPEC’s next development phase, nine industrial zones will be set up in the country, the 6th JCC in Beijing agreed. Of these, two industrial zones will be set up by the federal government in Islamabad and Karachi, while the rest of seven will be established each in Punjab, Sindh, KP, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Fata and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK).

29 Dec: The sixth meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) in Beijing approves inclusion of these projects in CPEC framework: Karachi Circular Railways, Keti Bunder sea port development project and Diamer-Basha Dam.

It also agrees on Mass Transit Railways projects in each of the provincial headquarters to facilitate millions of people besides setting up SEZs.

New road projects on the western route were also approved. These include 136km Thakot-Raikot (remaining portion of N-35) in addition to 118km KKH Phase II (Thakot-Havelian section); and upgradation of 210km D.I.Khan-Zhob (N-50 Phase-I).

In Balochistan, 210km dual carriageway from Yarik to Zhob and 110km Khuzdar-Basima N-30 road will be built.

Chitral CPEC link road from Gilgit, Shandor, Chitral to Chakdara

Mirpur-Muzaffarabad-Mansehra road construction for connectivity with CPEC route

Naukundi-Mashkhel-Panjgur road project connecting with M-8 & N-85

Quetta water supply scheme from Pat feeder canal, Balochistan

Iron ore mining, processing & steel mills complex at Chiniot, Punjab

During 2013-2016, the JCC on CPEC held six meetings:

19 Dec: A gate-free and signal-free 1,872km railway track from Karachi to Peshawar (ML-1) costing $8.2 billion will be constructed: Railways Minister

14 Dec: In Turbat, PM Sharif inaugurate 448km N-85 Sorab-Hoshab road on the Western route of CPEC. The road, upgraded by FWO at a cost of Rs 22 billion, will link Gwadar Port with N-25 National Highway near Sorab/Quetta.

14 Dec: A Chinese cargo ship is arriving at Gwadar on 15 December. The cargo is for business centre in Gwadar Free Zone (GFZ).

13 Dec: Pakistan Navy assembles a Task Force-88 (TF-88) for the seaward security of Gwadar port, organises a maritime conference on CPEC attended by all service chiefs and CJCSC. Snippets by Andrew Small:

Chinese ambassador, speaking in Gwadar: CPEC has already created 10,000 jobs in Pakistan, including 400 in Gwadar.

DG, GDA: The whole of the Gwadar Master Plan Area will be declared as a Special Economic Zone on the Shenzhen model, not just the Free Zone.

Iranian official: Discussions on a rail-link between Chabahar and Gwadar are ongoing; we have already agreed they will be sister ports

Chairman, China Overseas Ports Holding Company (COPHC): Gwadar will be the largest shipping centre in South Asia by 2022.

1 Dec: China and Pakistan launch direct rail and sea freight service between Kunming and Karachi cutting transport cost by over 50 percent.

PM Sharif meets Turkmenistan President. Says many countries want to be part of CPEC following Iran and Turkmenistan and half of world’s population to benefit from CPEC project. South and Central Asia to be connected through road and rail.

PM Sharif offers Turkish investors to invest in CPEC

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while on a two-day visit to Pakistan: Turkey believes CPEC will become a source of international peace and stability

An authentic and documented timeline of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) from 2013-2020 by IMC

CPEC fact sheet: 2013-2020 by IMC & Wali Zahid

In a matter of three years (2013-16), citizens in three of its large cities – Lahore (population: 11 million), Rawalpindi-Islamabad (population: 3.1 million twin cities combined) and recently-inaugurated in Multan (population: 1.9 million) – are able to travel in clean, safe and air-conditioned Metro buses on dedicated road tracks on a 20¢ fare which is a fraction of what commuters pay in the developed world.

But we don’t need to get too self-congratulatory. In our neighbourhood, India is building a bullet train that will start work in September 2017 and will take five years to complete.

While in Pakistan, with the current infrastructure, in a 2017 population of 208 million, fewer than a million a day will be able to ride these BRT buses.

Three small-length Metro bus routes in three cities only means that a large – very very large – population still uses public transport which is unreliable, decayed, unsafe and hurts your self esteem long before you reach your school, university, office or get back home.

In spite of the small scale, Metro bus is a good beginning.

And Pakistanis look forward to the whole country being wired in a network of mass-transit buses, Metro trains and intercity rail.

16 May 2018: Test run ceremony of Orange Line Metro Train Lahore is held today at Islam Park station. CM Shehbaz Sharif is chief guest.

27 Feb 2018: History in the making: The Lahore citizens see a trial run of the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT).

14 Nov 2017: $687 million Quetta Mass Transit: Chinese Policy Bank will give loan to Pakistan amounting to 85 percent of project at a 3% interest rate. In March, a team of Chinese engineers and experts arrives in Quetta to start work on the project, approved under CPEC.

6 May: PM Sharif performs groundbreaking of Metro Bus connecting New Islamabad Airport with Peshawar Mor, saying modern infrastructure including airports, highways and transport system is hallmark of a dignified nation. Earlier, on 13 April, Metro Bus project extension was approved at a cost of Rs 16.9 billion for construction of 25.6km with 24 bus stations.

29 March: Asian Development Bank (ADB) agrees to provide Rs 50 billion soft loan for Peshawar’s Rs 57B Metro bus rapid transit (BRT). Part of BRT is likely to complete by June of 2018.

20 March: Punjab CM Shehbaz Sharif launches 14 feeder routes that will run 200 automatic air-conditioned buses connecting passengers from areas around Metro bus stations spreading 129km.

10 Jan 2017: PM Sharif issues directives to connect the Islamabad Metro Bus with the New Islamabad International Airport. The project may cost Rs 18 billion and will add 14 bus stations along the route – from Peshawar Morr to New Islamabad Airport.

The new Metro Bus service will most likely start in August 2018.

29 Dec 2016: The sixth meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) in Beijing approves inclusion of these mass-transit projects in CPEC framework: Karachi Circular Railways and mass transit railways projects in each of the provincial headquarters to facilitate millions of people.

25 Nov: PM Sharif arrives in Ashgabat on a two-day official visit to Turkmenistan. Sharif is leading a Pakistani delegation to the first-ever Global Conference on Sustainable Transport – 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – being held at Ashgabat under the auspices of the United Nations.

Then, these are road and railway transport routes being developed from scratched or upgraded under CPEC. Source: Bloomberg

The next in line of mass-transit projects is Lahore’s 27km Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT, a Mass Rapid Transit, or MRT, project).

Built at the cost of Rs 154 billion, the train service is set to launch in August 2018 (delayed). Over 250,000 people will travel by Orange Line train every day through 26 train stations.

OLMT is currently facing delays because of a court order stopping civil works near 11 heritage sites that need to be protected. A review is under way.

One additional feature will be provision of free public WiFi service through 192 hotspots in three Punjab cities running Metro buses including Metro stations. PTCL is managing this WiFi service.

Then comes Karachi’s 21.7km Green Line Metro bus service (BRT) at a cost of Rs 24.6 billion through a federal grant. The construction work has hit many snags, with much of civil works from Surjani Town to Guru Mandir now complete by May 2018.

Green Line is set to start service by August of 2018, although there are snags on who will operate it. Nearly 350,000 passengers will use the service daily through 25 bus stations.

Green Line in Karachi (population: 15 million) is likely to be followed by 26km Yellow Line Metro bus service (BRT), a Sindh government project, at a cost of Rs 14.4 billion.

The Yellow Line will be financed by a Chinese loan (70 percent) and built by a Chinese firm, CUEC. It has yet to start constructing. About 150,000 passengers will use the service daily through 24 bus stations.

In October 2016, the federal government’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved to conduct an engineering design of the Peshawar BRT project at a cost of Rs 1.25 billion.

The provincial KPK government had to seek CDWP’s approval due to the Rs 32 billion project’s foreign funding.

In its sixth meeting at the end of December 2016 in Beijing, the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) approved inclusion of these projects in CPEC framework: Karachi Circular Railways (KCR) and Mass Transit Railways (MTR) projects in each provincial headquarters to facilitate millions of people.

In Lahore, the Metro bus service – the first in the country – was inaugurated on 10 February 2013.

The 27km Lahore Metro cost Rs 30 billion. Through 27 stations, nearly 200,000 passengers travel on Lahore Metro BRT buses every day.

In Islamabad, the 23km Metro bus service started on 4 June 2015. The inauguration went five months behind schedule because of political protests, organised by opposition PTI.

The Islamabad Metro cost Rs 44.7 billion. Through 24 stations, nearly 135,000 passengers travel on Islamabad Metro BRT buses every day.

While this BRT road and MRT train infrastructure is being built, the Pakistan Railways have tried to fix some of the intercity rail services.

E-ticketing has started on all railcar trains between Lahore and Rawalpindi and on Green Line Train from Islamabad to Karachi.

The Green Line train which covers 1,521km in just over 23 hours is creating an on-time reliable service. A reliable on-time train was unthinkable only a couple of years ago.

To upgrade the main railway line (ML-1) from Karachi to Peshawar including dualisation, the Chinese government and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have agreed to to lend Pakistan $8 billion. This is massive.

Government subsidies on mass-transit services

Maintenance of infrastructure, buses and trains

Upgrading, extension of infrastructure, buses and trains

Security of infrastructure during political protests and terror attacks

So, which cities need to be next in waiting for mass-transit transport?

If population is any criterion, Hyderabad (pop: 1.7 million) and Sukkur in Sindh; Faisalabad (pop: 3.2 million), Gujranwala (pop: 2 million), Sargodha and Sialkot in Punjab; Peshawar (pop: 2 million) in KPK; and Quetta (pop: 1 million) in Balochistan make the cut.

The UN estimates Pakistan as the sixth most populous country now (208 million) and in 2050 (310 million).

With a GDP of $300 billion, Pakistan is world’s 40th largest economy by GDP and 24th by GDP PPP. It is forecasted to grow to become 18th largest economy by GDP in 2050 and 16th largest by GDP PPP.

As part of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, the north-south $46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) connecting Chinese city of Kashgar bordering Pakistan’s north to Gwadar port in the south perhaps could set this city and intercity transport network in motion as a byproduct.

If this happens, the Pakistani landscape may look very different and semi-developed when the CPEC comes to full fruition in 2030.

A snapshot of completed and ongoing mass transit transport projects in Pakistan

CPEC

Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) starts service

CPEC fact sheet: 2013-2020 by IMC & Wali Zahid

Mass-transit transport in urban Pakistan taking shape