Orange Train project: New land for Mauj Darya mosque

LAHORE: Private land for relocating the mosque affected by the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project (LOMTP) on Lake Road has been identified at a nearby place on Bahawalpur Road behind PSO filling station and the arrangement is being finalised in consultation with the stakeholders.

Adviser to the chief minister, Punjab and chairman of the steering committee for Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project (LOMTP), Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan disclosed this while chairing the weekly progress review meeting here on Wednesday.

He clarified that not even a single inch of Punjab University’s land was being handed over to anybody else. Instead, the university administration had been requested to allow construction of mosque for public facilitation while retaining ownership of the land with itself. The former vice-chancellor resigned because of his own reasons, he added.

He informed that two more train sets have been dispatched from Karachi to Lahore which were likely to reach here within a week time. Another four train sets have been shipped to Karachi from China and will soon be sent to Lahore where five train sets have already been parked at Depot at Dera Gujran.

He told that mosque of Baba Mauj Darya shrine will be reconstructed as per the map provided by its management committee on its recommended location. Samaa hall and langar khana at the tomb will also be constructed, he added. No piece of land of the tomb will be acquired for the project and after boring the tunnel for the train, the land will be restored and handed over to the tomb administration.

The meeting was informed that 81 percent of the civil work besides 35 percent electrical and mechanical work on Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project has so far been completed. Progress on package-I from Dera Gujran, GT Road to Chauburji was 89 percent, on package-II from Chauburji to Ali Town was 70 percent, on Depot near Dera Gujran was 84 percent while on stabling yard near Ali Town it was 85 percent. Twelve teams of CR-NORINCO were carrying out work for laying of track for the train and so far 43 percent work in this regard has been accomplished.

Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan directed for ensuring public facilitation at all costs during the execution of work on this project. He asked for prominent placement of big billboards for guidance and awareness of commuters about alternate routes during the closure of GPO Chowk.

He asked for removing debris from these roads, carrying out patchwork and ensuring disposal of waste water from these areas for the convenience of vehicles plying on these roads. He directed for reviewing proposals for temporarily reserving some roads for one way traffic and disallowing parking of vehicles along them for certain period.