ISLAMABAD: Director General Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Farzana Altaf Shah on Tuesday said the federal capital lacked any good transport facility that was imperative to curb increasing vehicular emissions creating smog and the Agency endorsed it for public good.
Addressing the public hearing organized by Pak-EPA of Khayaban-e-Margalla Road to be constructed from Grand Trunk Road near Sangjani and would culminate at Service Road East Sector D-12 by the Capital Development Authority (CDA), she said the CDA has to address all the concerns of environmentalists, local communities and residents of adjoining areas of the project site.
She also demanded a written reply from Director Road North CDA Rana Tariq Mehmood on extension phases of Khayaban-e-Margalla as initially the first phase from G.T. Road to D-12 would be constructed, also on the National Parks limits falling under the project, and traffic count to be borne by the Road.
Shah mentioned that the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation And Management) Ordinance, 1979, CDA Ordinance 1960 and Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 were guiding legislation on the matter where none of these deny or approve the construction of the Road on protected area land. “This needs to be further discussed by the authorities concerned for a sustainable conclusion, ” she added.
The EPA DG informed that the Agency has ensured conservation of nature during various development projects like Zero Point underpass and dualization of Ataturk Avenue. “Even the EPA had withdrawn its NOC for dualization of Ataturk Avenue from D-Chowk onwards till Margalla Road considering that expansion unnecessary, ” she added.
Briefing the participants, Director Road North CDA Rana Tariq informed that the total route to be constructed was 10.4 kilometers long dual carriage way with the right of way of 600 feet, and three lanes of 36 feet on either side that would be completed in 12 months.
The total project cost as per revised PC-I approved by the CDA was Rs3, 269million whereas Rs100million were earmarked for environmental management and protection, he added.
Rana mentioned that there was no other route to enter Islamabad except Kashmir Highway from the North and this Road would serve as an alternate route to provide smooth, congestion free traffic low and would reduce existing traffic burden on the Kashmir Highway.
He informed that earthwork of 6 kilometers of the Road was completed out of which 4.4 kilometers was remaining whereas after detailed study it was found that some 75 mature trees of various native species existed on the remaining route. “All these trees will be transplanted and further plantation to be made along the route, ” he noted.
Speaking on the occasion, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan said the proposed road was not an access route whereas 3kilometers of it would be passing through the Margalla Hills National Park.
She regretted that the Board was not consulted whereas as per the Wildlife Conservation Act of 1983 and Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Preservation, Conservation And Management) Ordinance, 1979 any development to be carried in the national park would need prior approval of the Board.
Former Deputy Mayor Islamabad Syed Zeeshan Ali Naqvi raised the concerns of local area residents of Shah Allah Ditta area of the project vicinity and demanded the authorities to provide service roads across the proposed Road.