Cannot abandon Orange Line project in middle: Aleem Khan

LAHORE: Punjab senior minister Abdul Aleem Khan has said the government cannot abandon the mega project of Orange Line Metro Train project in the mid and directed the concerned departments to expedite work on the project.

Chairing a meeting on Orange Line Metro Train project, Abdul Aleem Khan said the cost of the project is escalating day by day and added that in this situation, the incumbent government cannot afford more delay on the plan.

He directed the concerned authorities to complete the project as soon as possible and added that the current government does not want to increase its cost by delaying the project.

He lashed out at the  PML-N government and said the previous government did nothing good to the nation by launching such project which turned into white elephant.

The minister said the Punjab government cannot afford to provide subsidy for the project on regular bases and asked to commercialize Orange Line’s stations to reduce the subsidy.

He was of the view that public projects should be self-sufficient and should not rely much on the subsidies.

Read More: Projects like Orange Line were initiated for personal publicity: Punjab finance minister

Punjab Finance Minister Makhdoom Hashim Jawan Bakhat, on October 17, had said that PTI government’s  first budget showed the real picture of province’s economic situation.

Addressing the post budget press conference in Lahore, the minister had said that the Punjab’s development plan for next five years was being prepared keeping in view the factors including provision of basic amenities to the masses of food, education, health, employment and ‘Apna Ghar’ (own home).

The minister had maintained that the other major aspect of ‘change’ was promotion of the industry and expansion of trade, which was possible through ease of doing Business, public-private partnership, control over expenditures and reformation of tax collection system.