LAHORE - Orange Line project would prove another multi-million dollar scam of the provincial government bigger than the Nandipur Power plant, claimed PML-Q Punjab president Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi while addressing a press conference yesterday.
“Orange Line will prove much bigger “dollar making” project than the Nandipur and further burdened the under debt economy of Punjab,” claimed Pervaiz Elahi.
“The Chinese company which has been awarded contract for the Orange Line has no expertise for such projects as it deals with weapons manufacturing. Awarding the project to a company with no expertise in the relevant field, is the foundation stone a mega corruption scam to incur financial losses of three billion dollars to the province,” he added.
“His government during its stint in power in Punjab launched four-line 97-kilometer underground train profit yielding and subsidy free project, which was to benefit every area, was scrapped by the sitting provincial government. Orange Line would not only put more debt on the provincial kitty but also tarnish the historical beauty of the provincial capital,” said former chief minister.
The real cost of the project was also kept secret whereas his project as compared to the PML-N was to be launched with one billion dollar loan from ADBP with 0.25 percent markup that had also included 10-year grace period. My government was to offer subsidy free ticket of Rs 25 only and each train was to reach the passenger terminal after every two to five minutes, he added.
In persuasion of PML-Q-led City train transport project no building, house or shop was to face damage or destruction, besides maintaining the historical beauty of Lahore and creating new business and job opportunities underground, said Elahi.
Responding to a question, he said the he left the provincial kitty with surplus of 100 billion rupees while the incumbent provincial government is under debt of one billion rupees and going to suffer another three billion with Orange Line.