Machinery, workers mobilised for Orange Train

LAHORE: Heavy construction machinery and workers are mobilised by Lahore Development Authority (LDA) along the Metro Orange Train as the apex court finally allowed the authority to complete the project.

Just a year after its inauguration in September 2015, the Metro Orange Line Train Project was stayed by Lahore High Court (LHC) on the petitions of various civil society organisations who claimed that the project would put disastrous environment impacts as well as damage to century’s old heritage. LDA challenged the LHC’s order in SC and after several hearings the apex court reserved the verdict in April 2017, which was finally announced on Friday.

Strategic counsel of the project Khurram Chughtai said that during the hearing in apex court, LDA and the Punjab government presented several standards and measures to safeguard the heritage as well as to mitigate the pollution levels before the court. In final decision, the court directed the LDA to follow the standards besides spending of Rs100 million on preservation and maintenance of heritage buildings coming along the route of orange train.

He said these standards and mitigation measures included that no building material or equipment shall be stored/stocked piled within the protected area of the monuments, no change shall be made in the alignment of the track which brings any part of it nearer to the monument than the distances set out in the report of the advisory committee, dust pollution during construction shall be controlled through extensive sprinkling of water on regular basis, special arrangements shall be made, as necessary, to keep the monument stable and un-damaged in all respects during the execution of the project as specified in the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and study of control of vibrations, noise and foundation.

The design of the viaduct and nearby station in terms of colour and reflectivity should be in harmony with the setting and appearance of the monument, the area around the hydraulic tank would be properly attended and developed into green belt, shabby structures on the southern side of the Shalamar Garden would be camouflaged through construction of a wall after consultation with Directorate General of Archaeology, decorative motifs of the Shalamar Garden would be replicated on the nearby station of the garden to create a harmony with the historic garden, he revealed.

Vibration monitoring must be undertaken as part of a monitoring plan using the crack measures devices such as Avongard Standard tell-tales throughout construction period of and for a period of 10 weeks after commencement of train operations and more time period if so directed. If levels of vibrations exceed safe limits further action must be taken to bring such levels down such as adjustment of train speed, additional buffers, etc., visual inspection of indicators other than cracks shall also be part of the monitoring plan.

He revealed that the measures included hiring/appointment of an independent and experienced conservation engineer by the executing agency, and later by the operating agency, to monitor the project both during its construction and operational phases who shall submit monthly reports to the advisory committee which shall in turn make such recommendations as may be required to the directorate-general archaeology. This monitoring shall be in addition to monitoring by the technical staff of the directorate-general archaeology.

Other measures are that the train speed shall be reduced while passing in front of the monument as recommended by the directorate general of archaeology from time to time on the basis of the available data, recommendations of the advisory committee shall be complied by all the involved agencies in letter and spirit, if any damage occurs to the monuments during the execution of the project or during its operation or any of the above noted conditions are violated, this NOC will be treated as withdrawn and the executing agency (LDA) and any other involved agencies shall be dealt in accordance with the provisions of the Antiquities Act, 1975, excavation to be carried out in a way not to affect any of the exposed or buried structure of special premises.

Area of the special premises would not be used for storing material or parking construction machinery and safety arrangements shall be made in accordance with the best engineering practice during excavation, construction and execution phases of the project, the executing agency shall install accelerometers, velocity transducers and noise detectors nearby the special premises, the executing agency shall ensure the implementation of the additional mitigating measures as mentioned in vibration analysis reports by NESPAK and Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), in case of any adverse impact to the special premises during excavation, construction and execution phases of the project, the executing agency will take all possible actions to conserve that part from its resources in consultation and as per advice of the directorate general of archeology.

And finally in case of violation of the above-mentioned conditions during the excavation, construction or execution phases of the project this permission/NOC will be treated as withdrawn and the executing agency (LDA) and any other involved agencies shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the Punjab Special Premises (Preservation) Ordinance, 1985.

“We bow our heads in humility before Almighty Allah and are thankful to Him on announcement of a pro-public and pro-project verdict by the honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan in Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project case, giving a go-ahead for completing the project,” said Adviser to the chief minister, and Chairman of the steering committee for Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project (LOMTP) Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan while talking to media here Friday.

“We also congratulate the people on this landmark decision which will transform their lives by upgrading Lahore to the level of an international city,” he added. Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan said this decision was the success of the vision of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for the public welfare and well-being.

The announcement has ended the uncertainty about the project and has highlighted the need and importance of mass transit system for the people of Lahore. It has infused a new spirit in the relevant staff and motivated them for working day and night for early completion of this project, he maintained.

He informed that so far 78.2 percent of the civil work besides 32 percent electrical and mechanical work on Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project has been completed. Progress on package-I from Dera Gujran, GT Road to Chauburji was 87.4 percent, on package-II from Chauburji to Ali Town was 63 percent, on Depot near Dera Gujran was 82.4 percent while on stabling yard near Ali Town it was 82 percent.

He told that project had entered the completion phase and all the 26 stations were being completed as per international standards. More than 86 percent civil and 67 percent electrical and mechanical works have been completed at Islam Park station which was being prepared as model station for being used as a sample for completing the remaining stations, he concluded.