The Punjab government intends to convert the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) to solar energy in order to reduce electricity costs and protect the environment.
Ozair Shah, General Manager (Operation) of the Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMTA), informed the media that converting OLMT to renewable energy is the only practical answer in the face of rising power prices.
He went on to say that the move might save the government Rs. 1.9 billion. Ozair further said that the administration is studying many strategies to transition OLMT to solar electricity. He stated that the department is presently assessing the benefits and drawbacks of each proposal in order to adopt the most effective transition strategy.
One of the plans is to build a solar plant with capacity of 50MW or 70MW. The solar plant will activate a mechanism of input to output through WeLink to power up OLMT instead of using traditional electricity apparatus.
OLMT was launched under a Built Operate Transfer (BOT) operating model by Chinese contractor CR-Norinco, a joint venture between China State Railway Group (CR) and China North Industries Corporation (Norinco). Initially, CR-Norinco and PMTA cooperated on the service, but in 2020, PMTA acquired full control of OLMT.
Its track is 27.1 kilometres long and has 26 stops. According to data, 27 trains run via the track each day, carrying 245,000 people. The PMTA stated that its cumulative passenger count had exceeded 20 million since the deployment of OLMT.
The government is now looking to extend the service while also providing a long-term lifeline in the form of solar electricity.
