SC stops work on Canal Road widening project

[Salman]

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Taking notice of non-compliance of its September 15, 2011, judgement on Lahore Canal Bank Road Widening Project, the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed the Punjab government to stop construction work on the project and also issued notices to the chief secretary and Punjab advocate general for October 16.
A three-member SC bench, headed by Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, also asked the respondents why its directions regarding the project were not being implemented.
The court also hinted to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondents.
The court had declared the Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian (BRB) Canal and green belts on both sides of Canal Road (from Jallo Park to Thokar Niaz Beg) a “public trust”.
It had also said that “public trust” shall be treated as “Heritage Urban Park” forthwith and “declared so by an act to be passed by the Punjab Assembly as undertaken by the respondent provincial government”.
The court said that widening of the road on both sides of the canal bank shall be in accordance with the report submitted by the Mediation Committee and “necessary corrections or modification of some of the underpasses on the Canal Road shall be carried out as suggested in the report of the Mediation Committee”.
It said that a proper Traffic Management Programme should be made and given effect to further improve public transport system. The court ruled that where needed and as recommended by the committee, re-engineering of the junctions along the canal bank should be undertaken; besides service roads along certain parts of the Canal Road shall be constructed and improved.
The petitioner, Lahore Bachao Tehreek convener Imrana Tiwana, told Daily Times that the road had been illegally widened at three points – beyond Dharampura underpass – during the last one year.
She said they had engaged Aitzaz Ahsan as their counsel in the case and he would appear before the court at the next hearing.
“We are disturbed and shocked at this blatant violation and disregard of Supreme Court’s orders. The civil society will ensure that the judgement is respected and that Supreme Court’s orders are implemented to safeguard the rights of the people of Lahore,” Imrana said.
She said that Dr Pervez Hassan, who was mediator between the Punjab government and stakeholders in the case, had also told the SC that his recommendations had not been followed by the provincial government.
Imran said that the Punjab government had now moved the Supreme Court in violation of the judgement to widen the entire Canal Road, thereby lifting all constraints on protection and conservation of the canal area.
Lahore Bachao Tehreek had challenged the Punjab government’s project of widening Canal Bank Road between Dharampura underpass and Thokar Niaz Baig. It had said that the project would not only destroy green belt/park on both sides of BRB Canal but it would also fail to resolve the problem of traffic congestion on Canal Road.