ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court Chief JusticeAthar Minallah on Friday observed that there is a provision of Margalla Avenue in Islamabad’s master plan, therefore, its construction could not be termed as an encroachment on Margalla Hills National Park.

The Chief Justice (IHC) passed the remarks while hearing a petition, seeking contempt of court proceedings against the Capital Development Authority (CDA) over construction of Margalla Avenue, which according to the petitioner disturbing national park area.

The petitioner, through his counsel pleaded that despite the court had stayed construction activity in national park area, the CDA is constructing road over there, which is a violation of court order, the petitioner’s lawyer asserted.

The IHC chief justice remarked that if the road is part of the master plan, then its construction could not be stopped, he said and directed CDA to submit its reply by Jan 11.

The 35-km-long Margalla Road is part of Islamabad’s master plan. However, CDA has divided it in three phases. Under first phase, the road is being constructed from Sangjani area to sector D-12. While in the second phase, Bhara Kahu bypass will be constructed and in future the road from D-12 to close to Quaid-i-Azam university will be constructed.

Recently environment body objected to the alignment of under construction road, stating that a portion of road falls in the limit of national park area. However, in its response to environment body, CDA has been stating that a small portion of one kilometer falls in national park area, but under zoning regulation of 1992, the CDA could construct the road in the said portion as the master plan was prepared in 1960 and national park in 1979, the civic body said.

The under construction portion of the road will provide an alternative route to motorists coming from G.T. Road, M-I and the airport side. It also provides access to seven residential sectors. CDA officials said that sizeable portion of the road has already been constructed and work is in progress to complete it by June. However, work on Bhara Kahu bypass has not been started as yet and facing delay testing the nerve of thousands of people who faced routine traffic jam on Murree Road near Bhara Kahu.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2021