Another in the series of underpasses

[Salman]

The Canal Bank Road near Jinnah Hospital remains choked with traffic on the Punjab University (PU) side with huge lifters and bulldozers digging way for another underpass in Lahore.

The underpass is part of the project to build a dual carriage road connecting Wahdat Road to Canal Bank Road while passing through the prime agricultural land of the PU.

The project aims to ease heavy traffic around the university.

The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has started constructing the road and plans to complete it within two and a half months. The road — from Wahdat Road to Canal Bank Road and Maulana Shaukat Ali Road — would connect a large part of Allama Iqbal Town and Multan Road to Johar Town and other residential colonies. The PU, which has agreed to give land for this project, would be compensated with money or land elsewhere.

The basic proposal is for around three and a half kilometer road dual carriageway, including 1.8km road passing through the PU land — from Wahdat Road to Canal Bank Road. The PU could be allowed to build commercial properties along the road to generate revenue. The modalities of the acquisition depend on the PU.

“The syndicate approved to give the land on lease to the government in August. The conditions would be set later. However, it is agreed that the university would commercialise the land along both sides of the road and the revenue generated would go to the university exchequers and spent on education and development projects,” PU Registrar Amin Ather tells The News on Sunday.

He further says that the decision was finalised after a long debate in the syndicate. The government is committed to make an ideal road in the city. It would be one way having service roads on both sides. Around the service roads there would be green belts lined with fence.

The road, according to LDA estimates, would cost about Rs 1.7 billion. When it was first proposed in 2006, the estimated cost was Rs350 million. In last year’s proposal, it was Rs650 million…

The university registrar adds that a few hundred acres of agricultural land given for the road is on contract. There were no departments or buildings of the PU on this land.

He further adds that a couple of entrances to the university will be made on the road.

The LDA started discussing this project with PU around eight years ago in 2006. The PU Syndicate rejected the LDA’s proposal in 2011. The final approval from the PU Syndicate came in August 2014. Also, the university had got approval from the government to commercialise around a two-kilometre section of the road within the varsity jurisdiction.

The road, according to LDA estimates, would cost about Rs 1.7 billion to build. When it was first proposed in 2006, the estimated cost was Rs350 million. Last year’s proposal estimated the cost to be Rs650 million. Ahad Cheema, DG LDA, while signing the memorandum of understanding, officially disclosed the huge cost of the project. The cost includes main road, side roads and underpass on Canal Bank Road. The cost does not include land acquisition of about 262 kanal from the PU.

The road would save time and fuel and reduce traffic pressure on Bhekewal Morr, Campus Bridge, Canal Road and other connecting roads. LDA officials, working on the site while asking not to be named, say the total length (including rebuilding and renovating patches) of the road will be 3.4-km while two underpasses are planned on this road, first at Lahore Canal Crossing and second at Wahdat Road Crossing.

Expressing reservations on the project, Imrana Tiwana, Secretary Lahore Conservation Society (LCS), says the project was planned without environmental assessment and trees at the Canal are being cut for the project in violation of the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan and Canal Heritage Act, which prohibits construction, felling or damage to trees, pollution of water, hunting and use of firearms in the Canal Heritage Park. “As per the Act, the Lahore Canal is a heritage of the city and should be protected,” she says, adding, “Any kind of construction activity on Canal Bank Road and both sides of its greenbelts is prohibited under the law.”

She says Lahore High Court has already been moved against this project.

According to the Canal Heritage Act, “The Lahore Canal and the greenbelts on both sides of the canal is a public trust and is part of the heritage of the city of Lahore, therefore, it is expedient to make provisions for the maintenance of a salubrious environment and conservation of the Lahore Canal as a heritage park to preserve the flora and fauna of this heritage park and to provide for ancillary matters”.

On the other side, a senior LDA official says, the road could be constructed slightly below ground level and with greenery planted all along to ensure it fits in with the campus environment. The project aims to improve mobility, enhance accessibility to area around the university in particular and improve the environment.

He further explains that the new road will have three lanes of 12-ft each dual carriageways with 24-ft service road on either side, according to the plans; latest model LED lights will be installed on this new road apart from building drainage system and walkways; the environment will improve and the number of trees cut on the Canal Road will be minimum.

“The traffic load is becoming a huge problem for the city administration with the passage of time,” he adds.