Pakistan’s first mass rapid transit, the Orange Line Metro Train, is easing traffic jams in Lahore, a city of about 10 million people, after inauguration on Oct 25, 2020. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

For the first time in Lahore, one of Pakistan’s largest cities, orange metro trains are bringing local residents joy and convenience.

Since Monday, thousands of people including students, government and private servants took to the stations to take first train. It was not uncommon then to see whole families comprising the young and the old, riding from one end of the line to the other and back.

Among the scenes at the metro stations were people shouting “Thank you China” and “Long Live Pakistan-China friendship”.

With help of builders from China, Pakistan’s first Mass Rapid Transit was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar and other guests on Oct 25 and went into full operation on Oct 26.

Doctor Aabid Klasra, a medical staff at Mayo hospital, was lucky to be among the first batch of passengers on Monday morning.  It took him 15 minutes to reach his hospital by metro train. Usually it takes him 55 minutes by car to cover same distance.

“It’s an amazing project. It’s safe, hustle free and comfortable transport. The project would be a blessing for the common people, especially for the students, office-going people who commute daily, by providing them cheap, quick and comfortable traveling,” Aabid said.

Named Orange Line Metro Train, the line runs over 27 kilometers with 26 stations, employs more than 200 jobs at present and at least 10,000 indirect jobs by kicking off economic activity, according to analysts

ALSO READ: China-Pakistan ties on strong footing, Li says

Named Orange Line Metro Train, the line runs over 27 kilometers with 26 stations, employs more than 200 jobs at present and at least 10,000 indirect jobs by kicking off economic activity, according to analysts.

At the launch ceremony, the Chief Minister said: “We are grateful to China for extending support to provide world class transport facilities to the people of Lahore, provincial capital of Punjab. It was a much needed project. Thank you for making it possible as promised.”

He also invited businesses to invest in Pakistan taking benefit of the government’s business-friendly policies.

Jahanzaib Khan Khichi, Punjab provincial transport minister said by phone: “Not only that the ‘Orange Train’ project has further strengthened bond of China-Pakistan friendship but also a living example of how CPEC is changing lives of common Pakistanis. It’s a gift to the Pakistani people which provides a high-class transportation service of international standards.”

The project, employing e-trains, will help the government to “counter the rising air pollution by reducing the use of thousands of smoking vehicles," said the minister, adding that a wave of economic activities will also be triggered alongside the route of the service.

With roughly 10 million inhabitants, Lahore is the second largest urban center in Pakistan and the provincial capital of the populous Punjab province.

Authorities said mass transit transport system was need of hour.

As the city’s traffic jams increase with growing population and vehicles, the metro spares many from congestions, especially during peak hours, cutting travelling time by as much as 70 percent apart from providing air-conditioned comfort at reasonable fares.

 “In order to cope with the ever increasing traffic congestion, there was an urgent need to develop mass transit transport facilities in Lahore to meet the predicted passenger demand. I am sure Orange Line Metro Line System is going to do the job perfectly,” Mohsin Leghari, a Punjab provincial official, said.

Aided by the Export-Import Bank of China, the line was built by a joint venture of China Railway Corporation and China North Industries Corporation, and serves as the first of three rail lines of a Lahore Metro master plan, which is expected to transport half a million people daily by 2025.

Orange Line Metro Train, the first mass rapid transit for Pakistan, is bringing ease to Lahore, a city of about 10 million people after inauguration on Oct 25, 2020. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

READ MORE: Pakistan launches special economic zone with China's help

OLMT is the most efficient and environment friendly transportation system in modern big cities, Executive Deputy General Manager of the Orange Line Project Wang Yunlin told the media.

“The project adopted advanced Chinese technology, standards, design concepts and equipment at a lower cost than similar projects in other countries,” Wang told journalists.

Fayaz-ul-Hasan Chohan, Information Minister of Punjab, expected the metro line to prove beneficial for the commuters in Lahore.

“The Orange Lane Metro Train project, like other projects of CPEC, will benefit people of Pakistan,” he said.

“Our government would continue to implement the CPEC in a true spirit as it is not a project of Pakistan's any political party or government but project of the Pakistani people,” he said.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily