Buzdar inaugurates Orange Line Metro Train

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar on Sunday inaugurated the Orange Line Metro Train at Dera Gujran Depot. The inaugural ceremony of the Orange Line Metro Train was also held in Beijing, which was attended by the authorities of National Development Reforms Commission, CR Norinko and top Chinese officials. The ceremony was broadcast live through video link. Chief Minister Usman Buzdar unveiled the plaque and prayed. Later, the CM along with Chinese Consul General Long Ding Bin formally inaugurated the Orange Line Metro train by pressing a button, whereas Chinese officials also inaugurated Orange Line Metro Train from Beijing.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, CM Usman Buzdar thanked the Chinese government on the behalf of the people and government of Punjab. He said ties between Pakistan and China were six decades old and had strengthened with the passage of time despite changes across the globe. "Undoubtedly, Pak-China friendship is deeper than the sea, sweeter than honey and stronger than steel," he added.

The CPEC project is height of the Pak-China friendship, Buzdar said, adding that the success of CPEC would start a new era of development and prosperity in the region which would further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. He said the Orange Line Metro Train had been inaugurated under the CPEC for providing international standard transport facilities to the people. He said the project would not only ensure stabilisation in urban development, but also become a factor in green GDP.

The CM said the PTI government had set a new political tradition by successfully completing projects of the previous governments and did not let any project become a victim of political bias as projects like Wazirabad Cardiology Institute and new building for the Punjab Assembly were an example of political maturity. He said the PTI government was also working on the completion of Rs 1115 billion collapsed projects of the previous governments.

Buzdar said in order to operate the Orange Line Metro Train project successfully, transparency had been ensured in tendering of operational and maintenance, besides saving nation’s billions of rupees. He said the Punjab government, despite limited resources and the economic situation due to COVID-19 pandemic, was also giving a subsidy of billions of rupees annually to ply the Orange Line train.

The Punjab CM said he would also like to pay tribute to the Pakistan army and other law enforcement agencies’ support and cooperation for the success of the CPEC. Transport Minister Jehanzeb Khichi, Punjab Mass Transit Authority Managing Director Sabtain Fazal Haleem and representatives of CR Norinko were also present on the occasion.