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LAHORE: The city has got its first trackless metro train as part of a fresh pilot scheme to upgrade the city’s transport. The system, known as the Super Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (SRT), is being piloted in Lahore to test its feasibility for use in the future.
Unlike normal trains, the SRT does not need metal rail tracks. Instead, it operates on Virtual Track Technology — an electronic guidance system that enables the vehicle to travel along a predetermined path on the road, giving it the appearance and function of a train but without rails. It is for this reason that it has been commonly referred to as a “subway on the road.”
The SRT system has already been rolled out in nations such as China, Malaysia, the UAE, and Türkiye. It was initially implemented in China’s Jiangsu Province in 2021 and has since then been awarded the Zhan Tianyou Award by the China Civil Engineering Society, an award for transport engineering innovation.
The car that was demonstrated in Lahore is included in a demonstration project to gauge its performance and viability for the needs of the city. Officials have not yet announced whether or when the entire system will be deployed.
At present, the trial is being monitored closely as Lahore seeks to find smarter and more efficient means of regulating increasing traffic and enhancing public transport.We welcome your contributions! Submit your blogs, opinion pieces, press releases, news story pitches, and news features to opinion@minutemirror.com.pk and minutemirrormail@gmail.com
DATE . July/22/2025
