RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench has taken action by issuing a stay order on the construction of a road that is obstructing access to an adjacent property situated on the main G.T. Road.
As per the details, the petitioner, Pak Dot Group, has filed a plea stating that the project includes a two-way link road bridge, connecting DHA Rawalpindi with G.T. Road, an approach road passing under the National Highway Authority (NHA) existing bridge on Soan River and merging with the GT Road through a defectively designed road ramp.
Furthermore, the petitioner argued that this poorly designed ramp is blocking access to their property, causing significant concerns.
The petitioner further explained that their owned land, which measures 7.5 Kanal, is located at the main G.T. Road, Moza Kotha Kalan, Tehsil, and District Rawalpindi, adjacent to the project site, making them directly affected by the construction.
Additionally, they raised objections against DHA, claiming that the project was initiated without acquiring the required land and necessary NOCs from concerned agencies.
The petitioner also alleged that proper procedures under relevant laws, such as the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997, the Punjab Flood Plain Regulation Act 2016, and the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency’s review of Initial Environmental Examination and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2000, were not followed.
The Lahore High Court has responded to the petition and issued a stay order, ensuring that no further construction at the site, blocking access to the adjacent property, will take place until the next hearing.
In response to complaints from various stakeholders, DHA has already initiated a reevaluation of the road design and assured them that appropriate measures will be taken to address the concerns of the affected parties.
Recently, a meeting was held with an additional attorney general for the Pakistan office on June 26, 2023, where both DHA and NLC explicitly stated that the approach/access to the petitioners and other affected land will be fully accommodated.
This will be achieved through minor adjustments in the design of the project’s approach road, while the proposed changes in the approach road design will also be shared with the petitioner.
Source: DAWN
