Trees, power lines may halt Zero Point Interchange project

[LahoreEstate]

ISLAMABAD: Delay in shifting around 70 pine trees and electricity lines to a safe place may halt construction work on Zero Point Interchange (ZPI). A CDA official told Daily Times on Wednesday that the CDA had purchased a tree transplanter but it was not capable of shifting these big trees. “If the CDA Environment Directorate fails to relocate these trees in a few days, the contractor will likely stop work on ZPI or reduce the road size. CDA Environment Directorate has been asked to shift these trees but due to lack of a perfect trees transplanter, they are helpless,” he said. He said the CDA Environment Directorate had spent a huge amount on purchasing this useless transplanter for fear of public criticism in case of cutting the trees off. The CDA official said Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO) had demanded Rs 90 million for relocation of power lines. If not removed now, these lines would make it impossible for the contractor to continue construction work, he said. “The CDA has informed IESCO that it can pay only Rs 30 million. A letter will soon be sent to Cabinet Division secretary in this regard,” he said. CDA Environment Directorate Director-General (DG) Shaikh Suleman told Daily Times that relocation of these trees was next to impossible. “CDA is planning to relocated these trees with a huge machine or change alignment of the road to save them,” he said.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg11_6