Work on northern loops, slip roads halted: Islamabad Zero Point Interchage

[LahoreEstate]

By: Khalid Aziz | Published: April 03, 2009
ISLAMABAD - Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s inability to relocate trees from the work area of Zero Point Interchange (ZPI) has brought the construction work on northern loops and slip roads of the project to a halt.
Even though the Authority made slight changes to the design of the said loops and slip roads to lessen the number of grown up trees falling in the work area, yet some three dozens trees of precious species have to be removed to allow the construction work.
When contacted, CDA’s DG (Environment) Dr Suleman Sheikh told TheNation that they were able to relocate the trees but the concerned officials had so far not indicated them the trees to be removed. He said they had already removed more than 500 small trees and shrubs from the site.
Mumtaz Hussain, Project Director ZPI, however, said that they had marked the trees to be removed and had also indicated their coordinates. He informed that initially some 120 grown up pine trees were falling in the northern work area of the interchange, which, he said, were lessen to nearly three dozens after making slight changes in design of the northern loops and removing shoulder from the slip roads on the same side.
He also wailed over non-cooperation of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) for removing the electricity wires, which, he said, had halted construction work on southwestern slip road of the interchange. He said they intended to first construct the same slip road so that Peshawar Mor bound traffic from Faizabad should feel no hindrance during execution of the whole project.
Mumtaz Hussain further said that they were going ahead of schedule despite a number of hurdles but he feared the delay in removal of trees and electricity wires from the site might negatively affect the pace of work in coming days.
Dr Suleman Sheikh said that removal of grown up pine trees was a time-consuming job and required heavy loader trucks, which, he said, were not presently available with the civic agency. Therefore, he said, they had requested the concerned officials to make changes in the interchange’s design to save the trees from been chopped down.

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-n...ads-halted