The Punjab Transport Department has taken a historic step to provide modern travel facilities to Lahore residents by initiating Pakistan’s first fully underground metro train service, the Blue Line Metro Project.
Government sources said the 27-kilometre Blue Line, running from Valencia Town to Babu Sabu Chowk, will include underground stations at Johar Town, Faisal Town, Garden Town, Kalma Chowk, Gulberg, Jail Road, Ferozepur Road, Wahdat Road, and Allama Iqbal Town.
The project aims to carry over 250,000 passengers daily.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif instructed the provincial transport minister to fast-track feasibility and design work. Once finalized, the report will detail the project cost, financing model, and construction timeline.
The total cost is expected to exceed Rs600 billion, with tunneling machinery capable of digging 6 meters per day.
Sources confirmed that financial institutions from China, Japan, and France have expressed interest in funding the project. Initial studies by JICA and Turkish consultants were completed in 2016, followed by a new transport study in June 2024.
While the original plan proposed 12 km underground, the final Blue Line route will now be fully underground.
Authorities aim to complete the project within three years, with initial funding and PC-I expected in the 2026-27 budget. Officials said the project will significantly improve commuting in Lahore while modernizing the city’s transport infrastructure.
Another useless overpriced and inflated project. When Punjab gov has 600 billion for this then why not invest that very amount in several other necessary projects elsewhere in the province. To add injury to it, this project like Orange Line, will bleed the gov and its budget by its heavy interest payments and then the subsidy they’ll have to provide so that people are even able to ride in this super expensive project.
What Punjab Gov should do is partner with Pak Railways and carry our a project to replace old tracks and modernize the railway infrastructure and introduce modern Diesel-Electric and Electric only Trains. This is a far more beneficial and revenue generating project.
Pakistan is a poor country and we need to improve our health and education system apart from population control. We also have a shortfall in housing and employment as well. We need to improve our tax base. We just can’t have the luxurious projects like underground and bullet train to show off only! For God’s sake have mercy on tax payers
Instead streamline the main railway track system, initiative of underground rail system with Hugh cost is seems unjustified. It should be reviewed
This is just laughable, nothing else. Who will pay for it? Survive on loans. Just dream, fool the people with your dreams and relax.
Priority should be on water and sanitation projects (which is an impending crisis), defence (Drone/Anti Drone technologies) and projects that guarantee good return so that loans may be offloaded in future
THIS DECISION ON PART OF CHIEF MINISTER OF LAHORE ISN’T BASED ON EQUALITY AND FAIRNESS. SHE THINKS THAT ONLY LAHORE IS PUNJAB. WHAT ABOUT OTHER PARTS OF THE PROVINCE ???
Syed Wajid Ali Shah owner Punjab Pakistan
Bari ziadtee hai yaar. Yeh Politician kis direction may ja rahay hain. Kya krna chahtay hain hum awam k sath. Humay aik he baar nuke kr do.
Basic necessities puri nahi ho rahi. Fuel prices are sky rocket. Rather then giving subsidy on these essential items yeh Arbo and Arbo ki luxury transportation system chala rahay hain. Am not against it. Every big metropolitan city has such project. But at what cost?
Hi CM, Don’t Do this Project.
Instead build a Industrial Hub with Subsidize Energy.
Enable Local Manufacturer to access International Market.
Ice metro scheme main bhi Mariyam ko b9ht mall kamanay ko mouqa milay ga.