ISLAMABAD, JAN 06, (DNA) –  The Orange Line metro project has been included in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), it was decided in the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting, held on Friday.

The announcement came in an official statement released after ECC meeting presided by Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar.

“All train projects in other provinces will also become part of the CPEC,” the statement added.

Material imported for the train project will be will exempted from tax, the statement said.

The Orange Line project is an ambitious project of the Punjab government which promises to lay a 27.1 kilometre Rapid transit line which is expected to benefit 250,000 people every day.

Activists argue that the Orange Line metro track is damaging heritage buildings and sites of the city.

On August 19, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had barred provincial authorities from carrying out construction work within a distance of 200 feet of around 11 heritage sites including Shalimar Gardens, Gulabi Bagh Gateway, Chauburji, Buddhu ka Awa, Zebunnisa’s Tomb, Lakshmi Building, General Post Office, Aiwan-e-Auqaf, SC Lahore registry building, St. Andrews Presbyterian Church at Nabha Road and Baba Mauj Darya Bukhari’s Shrine.

The Punjab government has filed an appeal in Supreme Court.=DNA

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