On 22 February 2025, the Punjab government announced Lahore’s first underground train as part of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s mega projects campaign.
The project has been named as Blue Line Metro Train service. However, what’s more of a shock is the fact that the cost of the project is whopping Rs600 billion.
The 27-kilometer project, which would connect Valencia Town and Babu Sabo Chowk, is expected to be completed within three years.
However, what has raised concerns is the sheer scale of investment required.
To put it into perspective, the cost of the Blue Line is six times the total investment Saudi Arabia made in exchange for acquiring the struggling state-owned enterprise Riko dek.
It is also 60 times the bid for the privatization of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and nearly half the amount the country recently secured in a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
With Lahore already hosting the Orange Line Metro Train, the launch of another high-cost mass transit project has drawn scrutiny, especially amid the country’s ongoing economic challenges.
While the government insists the project will ease congestion and modernize Lahore’s infrastructure, critics argue that the financial burden could outweigh the benefits.
According to reports, the Punjab Transport Department has already begun work on the feasibility and design of the Blue Line Metro Train project.
The Punjab government is always attempting to provide inexpensive transport throughout the state, with a main ambition for a “Green Punjab” campaign.
The question remains: Is this investment a game-changer for Lahore’s transport system or an unsustainable financial burden on the exchequer?
