All aboard

The chief minister of Punjab has said the opponents of the PML-N fear that they will not be able to get any votes in Lahore and Punjab if the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project was completed on time. One would never dispute the merits of providing travel facilities to people, but there are so many other pressing needs which could have been looked into before embarking on this project that involves billions of rupees. Had this amount been invested in education, millions of children in the province would have had the benefit of a good education. Sometime back, a picture of a school was published in which a school in a village was shown. The school had no roof. The students and teacher were exposed to scorching heat of the sun throughout the day. In fact, the students were sitting on the ground with bushes all around.

It is time for the government to give priority to projects that are beneficial for a large segment of society. The Orange-train project could have been skipped if the existing roads had been widened, encroachments removed and more buses provided. The public money should not be used for political gain.

Air-Cdre (r) Azfar A Khan (Karachi)

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The Punjab government has turned the dream of Orange Line Metro Train into reality. Keeping in view the previously inefficient and unsafe public transport system, this initiative by the government is commendable. Since the project was announced, the provincial government have met with intense criticism. However, it turned undue criticism into a constructive energy and continued working on the project. It is unfortunate that almost every development project in our country is met with intense criticism by the media and the opposition. It seems that we have developed a habit of criticising everything.

The provincial government initiated this project to provide state-of-the-art travelling facility to the people of Lahore, who are deprived of standardised commuting facilities. The track of this project passes close to busy roads, thickly populated areas and historical buildings so that more and more citizens can get benefit from this facility. It is hoped that the government will remain sincere in its efforts to work on more such projects which are really meant for the welfare of the people.

Syed Ali Qasim (Lahore)