–Hundreds of centuries-old trees would be axed to make way for the construction
ISLAMABAD: After much resistance and many refusals, the Inter Service Intelligence has approved the design of cloverleaf interchange named ‘grade separation facility,’ to be constructed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) at the intersection of 7th Avenue with Khayaban-e-Suharwardi and Kashmir Highway, Islamabad.
An officer on condition of anonymity confided in Pakistan Today that the ISI had put some conditions before the CDA to fulfil in order to start the work on the project. “The ISI demands an alley toward the Khayaban-e-Suharwardy Road, asked to increase the height of walls (for security purposes), and concerned with the height of the flyover,” he said.
According to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study on the said project planned by the CDA, around two hundred trees, aged 110, are going become the victims of this new interchange. Besides this, the environmental cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 13 million.
Earlier, the said project witnessed resistance from the ISI headquarter, who believed that it would “compromise” the security of top secret headquarter of security agency—ISI complex.
The ISI complex consists of various low-rise buildings separated by lawns and fountains, and the entrance to the complex is next to a private hospital, which houses the director general’s office on the top floor.
According to the documents available with Pakistan Today, the project costs Rs 1500 million and is planned to be completed in 12 months. A total length of the flyover will be 404m, straight suspended portion will be 52m, ramp towards Garden Avenue will be 278m, and ramp toward 7th Avenue will be 74m, in addition to that, 1.07km of Kashmir Highway is planned to realign.
The plants which would be adversely affected as stated in documents are “Cheel (pinus Logifolia) and Kuwa (wild olive), Phulia (Acacia Modesta), Kachnar, Sanatha (Dodona- Buramanniana), a famous species of grass is Dab (Amuri cactus).”
There would be four loops, loop1 and loop2 would be of 217m in length and 35m of radius connecting Kashmir Highway and 7th Avenue from Aabpara Chowk, and then connect 7th Avenue and Kashmir Highway towards Zero Point.
Loop3 and loop4 would be of 223m in length and 35m radius. Loop3 would connect Kashmir Highway and Garden Avenue from Zero Point, while loop4 would connect Garden Avenue and Kashmir Highway towards Aabpara Chowk.
The report also suggests that it would also hurt the home of some mammals, birds and reptiles.
Prior to that, the CDA management has successfully convinced the EIA with its presentation and would get the no objection certificate (NOC) within weeks.
However, the EIA told CDA to provide the readings of sound and air quality.
An officer, close to the development said that the PC-1 would be prepared with the inclusion of ISI’s demands in one month and the civic authority will tender the project soon after.
When contacted, CDA spokesperson Mazhar Hussain said that the incumbent management followed the protocols and got permissions from the concerned departments.
