Transport in Lahore
Encyclopedia
Lahore
is one of Pakistan's most accessible cities and the only city in the country where one can find public and private transportation 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. This includes public buses, as well as thousands of rickshaws and taxis, which run on compressed natural gas to reduce pollution in the city. About 75% of residents have their own conveyances. The roads in the city are well maintained and are broadened when needed to meet increasing demand.
In addition to the historic Grand Trunk Road
(G.T. Road), motorways connecting all major cities (Islamabad
, Multan
, Faisalabad
, Peshawar
, Rawalpindi
, etc.) have been built. A motorway to Sialkot
is under construction. The government has built underpasses to ease congestion and prevent traffic jams, and according to official figures, Lahore has the highest number of underpasses in Pakistan. The government would undertake planned rehabilitation of the roads, which have outlived their designed life, construction of missing road links and development of province-wide secondary arteries linking national motorways and trade corridors to foster economic opportunities via meeting expanding domestic and international travel and trade demands.
The Punjab government had allocated Rs 170.300 million for W/I of Thokar-Raiwind Road, Rs 50 million for the dualisation of Lahore-Jaranwala Road from Ferozepur Interchange to Mandi Faizabad, Rs 40 million for the construction of extending building for IWMI Thokar Niaz Baig Lahore, Rs 2.7 million for the construction of an overhead bridge at Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani Road near University of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Rs 56 million for PC-II for a feasibility study of elevated expressways in Lahore, Rs 10 million for the construction of an elevated expressway from Lahore Bridge to Niazi Chowk, Rs 50 million for the strengthening of Sheikhupura-Gujranwala Road, and Rs 15 million for the construction of a bypass between Sargodha and Lahore Road.
for environmental and economic reasons. Sammi Daewoo
's City Bus Division operates four routes within the city and two suburban routes for Gujranwala
and Sheikhupura
. Though these buses are fewer in number, they are air-conditioned and provide better comfort to passengers. In addition to these two major companies, there are several other small companies (New Khan Metro, Niazi, N. G. Urban Transport System, etc.) that provide services within Lahore; they cover only particular routes and are few in number.
is headquartered in Lahore. Pakistan Railways provides an important mode of transportation for commuters and connects distant parts of the country with Lahore for business, sightseeing, pilgrimage, and education. The Lahore Central Railway Station
, built during the British colonial era, is located in the heart of the city.
after the national poet-philosopher of Pakistan, Allama Muhammad Iqbal
, and is served by international airlines as well as the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines
. The previous airport now operates as the Hajj
Terminal to facilitate the great influx of pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia
to perform the hajj every year. Lahore also has a general aviation
airport known as Walton Airport
.
lines will be constructed. The first Green Line between Shahdra and Hamza Town (Ferozpur Road) will be completed by 2011 and cost $2.4 billion. The second Orange Line between Pakistan Mint and Sabzazar will cost US $1.9 billion and will be completed by 2015. In the second phase, Blue and Purple lines will be constructed.
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
is one of Pakistan's most accessible cities and the only city in the country where one can find public and private transportation 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. This includes public buses, as well as thousands of rickshaws and taxis, which run on compressed natural gas to reduce pollution in the city. About 75% of residents have their own conveyances. The roads in the city are well maintained and are broadened when needed to meet increasing demand.
Lahore Ring Road
The Lahore Ring Road (LRR) Project was launched on December 22, 2004 at a groundbreaking ceremony attended by President General Pervez Musharaf. The LRR Project is a large road project being developed by the Punjab Government, intended to ensure efficient and speedy movement of freight and passengers, to alleviate traffic flow problems, and to boost the city's potential for industrial development. The project includes the construction of a six-lane divided highway, interchanges, RCC bridges, reinforced earth abutments and walls, overhead pedestrian bridges, culverts, tunnels, underpasses, flyovers and related works, at a total projected cost of over Rs.20 billion and Rs.13 billion respectively.Roads
In addition to the historic Grand Trunk Road
Grand Trunk Road
The Grand Trunk Road also formerly known as Uttarapatha, Shah Rah-e-Azam or Sadak-e-Azam or Badshahi Sadak is one of South Asia's oldest and longest major roads...
(G.T. Road), motorways connecting all major cities (Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, Faisalabad
Faisalabad
Faisalabad , formerly known as Lyallpur, is the third largest metropolis in Pakistan, the second largest in the province of Punjab after Lahore, and a major industrial center in the heart of Pakistan. Before the foundation of the city in 1880, the area was very thinly populated. The population has...
, Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, etc.) have been built. A motorway to Sialkot
Sialkot
Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
is under construction. The government has built underpasses to ease congestion and prevent traffic jams, and according to official figures, Lahore has the highest number of underpasses in Pakistan. The government would undertake planned rehabilitation of the roads, which have outlived their designed life, construction of missing road links and development of province-wide secondary arteries linking national motorways and trade corridors to foster economic opportunities via meeting expanding domestic and international travel and trade demands.
The Punjab government had allocated Rs 170.300 million for W/I of Thokar-Raiwind Road, Rs 50 million for the dualisation of Lahore-Jaranwala Road from Ferozepur Interchange to Mandi Faizabad, Rs 40 million for the construction of extending building for IWMI Thokar Niaz Baig Lahore, Rs 2.7 million for the construction of an overhead bridge at Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jillani Road near University of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Rs 56 million for PC-II for a feasibility study of elevated expressways in Lahore, Rs 10 million for the construction of an elevated expressway from Lahore Bridge to Niazi Chowk, Rs 50 million for the strengthening of Sheikhupura-Gujranwala Road, and Rs 15 million for the construction of a bypass between Sargodha and Lahore Road.
Bus service
Several bus companies operate in Lahore. Premier Bus Services, owned by the Beaconhouse Group, was started in 2003, and provides transportation services to the general public in Lahore. With over 240 buses running on exclusive routes, it is the largest public transport company in Pakistan. , the buses are in the process of being converted to compressed natural gasCompressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
for environmental and economic reasons. Sammi Daewoo
Daewoo Express
Daewoo Express or Sammi Daewoo Express is an inter-city common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 30 destinations in Pakistan and is headquartered in Lahore. It is operated by a Korean company, Sammi...
's City Bus Division operates four routes within the city and two suburban routes for Gujranwala
Gujranwala
Gujranwala is a industrial city in the north-east of the Punjab province. It is the sixth largest city in Pakistan with a population of approximately 2,661,360 as on 24 June 2011...
and Sheikhupura
Sheikhupura
Sheikhupura or Shekhupur , formerly Kot Dayal Das or Singhpuria or Virkgarh , is an industrial city in the province of Punjab slightly northwest to Lahore in Pakistan. It is known for its historical places, and is commonly known locally as Qila Shaikhupura, because of the fort in the city,...
. Though these buses are fewer in number, they are air-conditioned and provide better comfort to passengers. In addition to these two major companies, there are several other small companies (New Khan Metro, Niazi, N. G. Urban Transport System, etc.) that provide services within Lahore; they cover only particular routes and are few in number.
Lahore Central Railway Station
Pakistan RailwaysPakistan Railways
This article is about the rail company in Pakistan. For technical details and operations see: Transport in Pakistan.Pakistan Railways is a national state-owned rail transport service of Pakistan, head-quartered in Lahore. It is administered by the federal government under the Ministry of Railways....
is headquartered in Lahore. Pakistan Railways provides an important mode of transportation for commuters and connects distant parts of the country with Lahore for business, sightseeing, pilgrimage, and education. The Lahore Central Railway Station
Lahore Railway Station
The Lahore Railway Station in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan was built by British colonists between 1859-1860 at the cost of half a million Rupees. It is of typical grand British architecture in South Asia during the British Raj period...
, built during the British colonial era, is located in the heart of the city.
Allama Iqbal International Airport
To accommodate increased air travel, the government built a new city airport in 2003. It was named Allama Iqbal International AirportAllama Iqbal International Airport
Allama Iqbal International Airport is the second-largest civil airport in Pakistan, serving Lahore, the capital of Punjab province. Originally known as Lahore International Airport, it was renamed in 2003 for Allama Sir Muhammad Iqbal, the Islamic poet-philosopher who was a major advocate for the...
after the national poet-philosopher of Pakistan, Allama Muhammad Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
, and is served by international airlines as well as the national flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines Corporation commonly known as PIA, is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan. The airline has its head office on the grounds of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. and operates scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 38 international destinations in 27...
. The previous airport now operates as the Hajj
Hajj
The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...
Terminal to facilitate the great influx of pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
to perform the hajj every year. Lahore also has a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport known as Walton Airport
Walton Airport
Walton Airport is situated near Model Town, 10 km from the city centre of Lahore, the capital of the Punjab province in Pakistan. It caters to general aviation and is used by several flying clubs...
.
Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System
Lahore Rapid Mass Transit (LRMT) System is a project envisioned to provide mass transit facilities to Lahore. The project is expected to be completed in 2020. In the first phase, two light railLight rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
lines will be constructed. The first Green Line between Shahdra and Hamza Town (Ferozpur Road) will be completed by 2011 and cost $2.4 billion. The second Orange Line between Pakistan Mint and Sabzazar will cost US $1.9 billion and will be completed by 2015. In the second phase, Blue and Purple lines will be constructed.