The Punjab government is preparing to operationalize its Automated Rapid Transit system in Lahore, a project that has been under discussion for over a year as part of the province’s broader urban transport overhaul. The plan has already received approval from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and is expected to be completed at an estimated cost of around Rs. 6 billion, with authorities targeting an early rollout before June. The push to meet the pre-June deadline reflects the government’s intent to deliver a tangible urban mobility improvement within the current year rather than allowing the project to slip further into the future.
The Automated Rapid Transit route will run from CBD Kalma Chowk to Istanbul Chowk, covering key corridors including Main Boulevard Gulberg and Jail Road Canal. The system will feature a three-coach train with a capacity of around 270 passengers, operating at intervals of 15 to 20 minutes and expected to serve nearly 18,000 passengers daily. Trains for the project will be supplied by CRRC, while a local transport company will manage operations. The selection of CRRC, one of the world’s largest rolling stock manufacturers and a company with prior experience in Pakistan’s rail and metro projects, lends credibility to the technical specifications of the planned service.
The Automated Rapid Transit system was first approved last year as part of a five-year transport plan, with officials describing it as a modern mass transit solution already in use in countries such as Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. Authorities said the system is designed to offer faster and more efficient travel while reducing reliance on conventional fuel, as it is expected to operate on a fully electrified and solar-supported model. The electrified and solar-supported operational model positions the system as a step toward greener public transport in a city that has long struggled with air quality concerns driven in large part by traffic congestion and fossil fuel-heavy commuting patterns.
The project is also part of a wider plan to introduce modern transport systems across multiple cities in Punjab, though its rollout has faced delays since initial approval. For Lahore commuters, the Automated Rapid Transit system would add a new tier of mass transit to a network that already includes the Orange Line Metro, offering an alternative for key corridors that currently rely entirely on road-based transport and are among the city’s most congested arteries during peak hours.
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