The other view
A civil society is mainly comprised of groups or organisations working in the interest of the citizens but operating outside the ambit of the government. Organisations and institutions that make up civil society include labour unions, non-profit organisations, churches, and other service agencies that provide an important service to society but generally ask for very little in return. This is something I have been reading in books.
The active role of civil society is important in determining the quality of public service to the people. In trying to champion their agendas, they at times tend to cross the line. This may have to do with the fact that they are manned by people belonging to privilege sections of society. Hence their understanding of what common people go through may be limited.
Today I intend to write as a common citizen. I write on behalf of common people like me who have to go through ignominy of daily travels in cramped and crowded and often stinky buses. Of late you have taken a strong exception to the under-construction Lahore Orange Line Train project. While you have every right to express your opinion, I think it is my duty to bring to your notice the other side of the story.
The 27-kilometre long track of Orange Line Metro Train is being constructed between Ali Town at Raiwind Road and Dera Gujran at G T Road. Passing through the busy and densely populated areas of the provincial capital and the economic hub of Punjab, the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train will be providing a respectable and quick mode of transportation to more than 250,000 commuters on a daily basis initially, a number which will reach up to 500,000 passengers in ten years.
The start-to-end journey will be covered in just 45 minutes which otherwise takes two to three hours to be covered presently. The pros and cons of this project have already been discussed in details. The route of the OLMT has been adopted after carrying out extensive surveys by reputed organisations. The track has been designed in such a manner that minimum land acquisition was required for its construction saving many people from displacement.
There has been hue and cry by the civil society about the route of Orange Line Metro Train. Under the banner of Lahore Bachao Tehreek, you are on a mission on rescuing Lahore and preserving its heritage, as you put it, by blocking the roads and creating difficulties for the citizens. The question arises here: have you ever visited those historical places and monuments themselves? How many times have you been to Shalimar Gardens yourself?
In order to put facts right for those who continue to oppose the project on the basis of its alleged damage to heritage, it is important to mention that it was the government of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif that restored Chaubarji in 1990s. Now it has been handed over to the Punjab Archaeology Department and Punjab government has been very generous in providing funds and manpower for the preservation of cultural heritages.
Just in case you missed some very momentous events lately, let me tell you that the efforts aimed at bringing art to public spaces, under the rubric of Beautification of Lahore Framework, have been personally supervised by the CM. I earnestly believe it is in the process of becoming something truly splendid and culturally refreshing. A few of the leading members of our civil society were involved in taking this agenda forward meaningfully.
The magnificent ‘Bird House’, inaugurated recently at the Istanbul Chowk, is a manifestation of this positive collaboration. At least six more superbly-designed ‘art in public spaces’ projects are on the anvil. All of them would depict our rich culture and history in the most aesthetically pleasing manner. Rest assured that government of Punjab is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities for preserving its heritage with utmost sense of duty. It has also taken help of archeological experts to ensure safety of all the historical sites. There is no danger to those historical monuments.
I would not be wide off the mark if I say that Orange Line Metro Train is rather going to add beauty to those building and will attract the tourists by providing them state of the art mass transit system. It happens around the globe, whenever such developmental projects are planned and executed, displacement takes place. The historically enriched cities like Rome and Istanbul have also gone through the same process during the construction of mass transit systems in these cities.
You are also protesting what you term as the ‘government’s flagrant disregard of laws’ such as the Antiquities Act 1975, which forbids construction within 200 metres of these listed heritage sites. “Hagia Sophia” is a great architectural beauty and an important monument both for Byzantine and for Ottoman Empires. Once a Church, later a mosque, and now a museum at the Turkish Republic, Hagia Sophia has always been most prized heritage site. Metro Train station is very near to this museum. According to the official website of the museum, it says “You may reach Hagia Sophia using Metro or Light Tram lines. Closest tram station is “Sultanahmet station”. When you get off at this station, Hagia Sophia will be only walking distance away.” I wonder why the civil society of Istanbul didn’t raise their voices. Probably because they know it doesn’t destroy the historical monuments, it rather adds beauty to it by facilitating the visitors.
General public is hugely supportive of the Orange Line Metro Train project. They are very happy about it because they have attached hopes on it as it would be the common man’s ride. It would provide the cheap and efficient means of transportation which will be environment friendly and cost-effective. More importantly, commitment has been given in clear terms that the Orange Line will not damage any historical building or monument and none of the interventions going into its construction and engineering will impact our historical and heritage sites adversely.
The much quoted impact of vibrations impacting existing old buildings is also baseless since the vibration level is as low as one-tenth of the permissible threshold. And as for the Shalamar Gardens, the team of legal experts is in the process of finalising the most plausible and legally sound reply to the UNESCO’s letter with respect to the World Heritage Convention. “Pleasantly surprised” was how UNESCO team put it after visiting those historical monuments, thus allaying any misconceptions about the project’s likely impact on the heritage.
The government deserves great admiration for giving the people of Lahore the Orange Line Metro Train. I, as a citizen of the city, am for Orange Line Metro because I want the transport system of international standard in my country as well. This is my fundamental right to ask the government I elected with my vote to think for common people’s interest as well.