‘Orange Train, Metro bus subsidy due to wrong planning of past govt’

LAHORE:Provincial Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Cooperatives Raja Basharat has said that the previous government did not base the Orange Line and Metro Bus projects on sustainable development model and due to wrong planning the present government has to pay Rs 8 to 10 billion annually in form of subsidy.

Therefore, the government is trying to make the project sustainable by removing its administrative and economic shortcomings, he said while addressing the first meeting of the Chief Minister's Special Committee on Orange Line Train and Metro Bus at the Civil Secretariat under his chairmanship on Thursday.

Provincial Minister for Transport Jahanzeb Khichi, Secretary Transport and heads of relevant agencies were present. The meeting reviewed the performance of Metro Bus, Orange Line Train and Feeder Bus Service.

Giving a briefing, the officials said a summary to start electric buses in Lahore city has been sent to the department concerned on the direction of the CM. Raja Basharat said various administrative issues including security, sanitation and lack of staff have been identified in the meeting.

"Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has directed that the problems of Orange Line and Metro Bus service be resolved immediately,” he said and added the committee would propose reforms to balance the revenue and expenditure of the Orange Line and Metro bus service. He directed the Secretary Transport and the heads of Mass Transit Authority and Lahore Transport Company to submit comprehensive proposals in this regard within a week.