PAKISTAN: The first of 27 five-car metro trains for the 27·1 km Orange Line now under construction in Lahore was rolled out at CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive’s plant in China on May 15. The trains are scheduled to be delivered between July and the end of this year.
The styling is inspired by jasmine, the national flower of Pakistan, and by the shape of the dome of Lahore’s Badshahi mosque. The 80 km/h trainset features energy-saving air-conditioning system and bogies designed for operation in the constant high summer temperatures, while the 750 V DC electrical systems are designed to handle the unstable supply voltage in Pakistan.
Work on the Orange Line began in October 2015, with Chinese funding and work undertaken to Chinese technical standards. The route from Dera Gujran in the east to Ali Town in the west via the main station will include around 25·4 km of elevated line with 21 stations and 1·7 km in cut-and-cover tunnel with three stations.
Civil works on the 13·6 km between Dera Gujran and Chauburji are being undertaken by Habib Construction Services under a Rs21·4m contract. A joint venture of ZKB and Reliable Engineering is responsible for civil works on the western section. A consortium of China Railway Group and Norinco is the E&M contractor.
