ISLAMABAD: In an unexpected move, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Thursday changed its earlier stance that the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus as planned would violate Islamabad's master plan and environmental laws.

During a briefing to Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, the chairman of the CDA, Maroof Afzal, said the separate track for the metro bus would be established on the right of way set aside for the extension of 9th Avenue and Jinnah Avenue.

The minister had sought details about the metro bus project after objections were raised in both houses of the parliament that the project would eat up greenbelts along the two highways.

The metro bus will be operated from Flashman Hotel in Saddar Rawalpindi to Pakistan Secretariat in Islamabad, covering around 14 kilometres in the federal capital.

During the briefing at the CDA head office by officials of the CDA and the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), the minister was told that the track would not be built on any greenbelt.

“This (the track along 9th Avenue and Jinnah Avenue) is not a greenbelt but grass and trees have been planted there for the beautification of the highways,” said the CDA chairman.

Similarly, he added, the decades-old pine trees at Jinnah Avenue would neither be uprooted nor damaged as the road extension would stop short of them.

Sources in the civic body said the minister was assured that four saplings would be planted to supplement the loss of a single tree. Similar assurances were also given by the authorities of the RDA.

However, the briefing was in sharp contrast to the earlier stance of the CDA as regard to the environmental concerns.

The chairman CDA in a recent briefing to the Senate standing committee on capital administration about the metro bus project had acknowledged that there were some violations to the master plan due to the metro project.

He had also highlighted 10 major violations made in the master plan since 1992.

However, the CDA chief had added that the changes were made in the master plan in view of the emerging requirements.

The violations included the establishment of Convention Centre and a five-star hotel on the right of way of Kashmir Highway, a cement plant at Margalla Hills National Park and the conversion of transportation hub I-8 into residential sector.

The industrial sectors of I-12, I-14, I-15 and I-16 were also converted into residential sectors. The sectors E-8, E-9, E-10 were allocated to navy, army and the air force even eliminating parts of the right of ways of 9th and 10th avenues.

Officials of the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-Epa) have also expressed concerns over the metro project after the initial review of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted by Nespak.

“Nespak has failed to follow the prescribed procedures and format in the EIA report which were required to address the environmental concerns,” said the officials of the environment watchdog.