- SC decides to hear Orange Line Metro project case on daily basis
ISLAMABAD, April 3: Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, while conducting hearing of Orange Line Metro Train project case, has said that those who don’t want mass transit may move to village, saying that the place where there is no mass transit system is not a city.
Five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan conducted hearing of Orange Line Metro Train project case on Monday. The court decided to conduct hearing of the case on daily basis.
“Whoever does not like a mass transit system may move to a village,” Justice Azmat Saeed said while giving his remarks during the hearing.
While briefing the court on the project, Shahid Hamid, lawyer of Nespak, company carrying out consultancy for the project, said they have obtained the report of environmental impact of the project.
Upon this, Justice Azmat Saeed said that there is issue of national heritage which is being affected by this project, saying that mere lines were marked on the map but no care was taken for the national heritage. He said that government does not have any licence to destroy or affect the historical buildings.
On the occasion, Shahid Hamid informed the court NOC of the project has been obtained from the archeology department.
Upon this, Justice Azmat Saeed said that Punjab government removed the first director of archeology department and then obtained NOC from the second one, saying that train project would be halted if any damage was done to old buildings.
Justice Maqbool Baqar said that they cannot take any chance. Upon this, Shahid Hamid, lawyer of Nespak informed the court they are ready to make changes in the design of the project but the cost of the project will increase with the changes in the design. He assured the court no damage will be done to the historical buildings.
It is pertinent to mention here that, earlier, concerns were raised on the construction being carried out for the Orange Line Project.
Activists argued that the Orange Line metro track is damaging heritage buildings and sites of the city. An appeal was filed in the apex court, in which petitioners had requested the construction be halted around 11 heritage sites.
On August 19, 2016 Lahore High Court 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 on Nabha Road and Baba Mauj Darya Bukhari’s Shrine.
The Orange Line’s is a 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.-Sabah
