Lahore: The contract for Orange Line Metro Train’s (OLMT) operations and maintenance is ready, and it will be awarded to the private sector, a news source reported. The cost of annual maintenance and operations has been estimated at PKR 6 billion.
The government will bear the annual PKR 1 billion – from this figure – in electricity bills. For this end, the Punjab Mass Transit Authority has prepared its strategy – and it has been decided that the contract will be signed on the basis of fixed cost. Instead of the cost-per-kilometre convention.
The company that is awarded the contract will have to run 27 trains, and will be responsible for tracks maintenance. The deal will also include fuelling of elevators, escalators & generators, signals, lights, firefighting and building operations. The salaries of the employees will be paid by the contracting company.
The estimated annual operations cost of the OLMT is expected to rise above PKR 6 billion, and this amount will be provided by the government in the form of a subsidy. The tenders for the contract will be issued next week.
