ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has rejected the design and route of the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) proposal for a chairlift, from the foothills of the Margallas up to Pir Sohawa village, on environmental grounds.

The design for the proposed project was forwarded to the prime minister by the CDA through the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD).

Chairing a meeting to review the CDA’s projects, CADD Minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry directed CDA Chairman Sheikh Ansar Aziz and other officials on Tuesday to redesign the route for the proposed chairlift. It was also decided during the meeting that Dr Chaudhry and CDA officials will visit the Margalla Hills to finalise the route.

Dr Chaudhry said: “Today, I directed the CDA to redesign the route of the proposed cable car project, as the prime minister has rejected out proposed route and design.”

CDA directed to redesign route for chairlift to Pir Sohawa to avoid felling of trees

Speaking to Dawn, he said Mr Sharif has directed that the project be redesign to avoid the felling of trees. “Now, we will design the route in the alignment of the existing Daman-i-Koh/Pir Sohawa road to avoid tree cutting,” he said.

“After finalising the design and route, we will advertise this project to call for expressions of interest from national and international firms.”

According to the CDA’s initial plan, cable cars would operate close to the Islamabad zoo, stop briefly at Daman-i-Koh and head up to Nakhiala Peak near the Pir Sohawa village. The entire distance covered 2.5 kilometres, base camp would be 1,995 feet above sea level with a peak station at 3,839 feet.

The project is a decade old. Various CDA administrations have announced the project only to shelve it after criticism from environmentalists. In 2002, when the authority was a subordinate organisation of the interior ministry, the interior minister chaired several meetings to launch the project but failed to execute it. Back then, the total cost of the project was estimated to be Rs500 million.

This time around, the CADD minister is optimistic that his team will manage to start the project after eliminating all environment-related problems.

However, the Margalla Hills have officially been a national park since 1980, under section 21(1) of the Islamabad Wildlife (Protection, Conservation and Management) Ordinance 1979.

Its park status prohibits any kind of commercial activity or settlement in the area. The CDA previously relaxed these rules to develop Daman-i-Koh and Monal Restaurant in the heart of the hills, thereby disturbing wildlife.

Some CDA officials Dawn spoke to said if launched properly, the project would boost tourism in the capital. One CDA official said there should be no environmental concern because “we can design the project to be completely environmentally-friendly”.

During Tuesday’s meeting, several other projects, such as the Bara Kahu bypass, provincial pavilions at Saidpur Village, carpeting Constitution Avenue, and sectors – such as Park Enclave I and II, C-15 and I-15, were discussed in detail. The minister directed the CDA to complete ongoing projects as soon as possible.

Published in Dawn September 21st, 2016