LAHORE: Tram service to be launched in the Lahore on a 25-30 km stretch of the Canal Road (from Thokar to Jallo) in the first phase, under public-private partnership (PPP) in a joint venture (JV) of two companies –an European firm and a Chinese firm– as the MoU with Punjab transport department was signed by Transport Minister Jahanzeb Khan Khichi
On behalf of the transport department, Lahore Transport Company (LTC) will play a regulatory role.
After detailed discussions, a JV comprising Czech Republic’s Inekon Group and China’s CRSC had visited Lahore and surveyed various routes around a month ago and selected the Canal Road to launch the service from in the first phase. To be launched under PPP mode, the tram service will run on a dedicated track which will be laid along Canal Road informed Punjab transport secretary Asad Gilani.
This decision was taken after the representatives of the JV were informed of the plans of the green line (metro bus service), orange line and the planned purple and blue lines. Due to the unavailability of adequate capacity to transport such a large number of passengers, the route was selected.
Possibilities of launching the service on other routes also exist as the possible routes would include Jail Road, Mall Road and other major arteries of the city.
Comprising of 30 sets of trams — each will have two coaches in the new facility, as the service will have various stops keeping in view the requirement of passengers. Before launching the service, a feasibility study survey will be conducted by the JV.
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