Sit-in aftermath: CDA clears D-Chowk of trash, starts repair work

The civic body took it upon itself to initiate repair work, cleanliness drive

ISLAMABAD:

Civic and commercial life in the federal capital returned to normalcy after the end of the four-day long sit-in staged by religious parties at D-Chowk, outside parliament in capital’s most-secured Red Zone.

The protesters damaged public property and Metro Bus stations suspending the mass traffic service for three days.



The service was resumed on Thursday after the Punjab Metrobus Authority (PMA) cleared its route and started fixing the broken grills and initiated other necessary repair work inside the Islamabad-portion of the buses corridor.

The authority says due to the suspension of the service it lost Rs6.5 million in revenue. On a routine day at least nearly 100,000 travellers use the service between the twin cities.

On the other hand, the capital’s civic agency has also completed the cleanup drive and fumigation of D-Chowk, the venue for the sit-in.

While the city administration has also removed containers and security barriers from different roads, it had placed to keep at bay the protesters from sensitive buildings and areas.

The accessible roads inside Red Zone have been opened to the public and office goers.

The city authorities have estimated a loss of Rs150 million due to damages caused by the protesters to the public and private properties including complete ransacking of Parade Ground station of the Metro Bus Service.



According to a statement issued by the CDA, teams of the environment and sanitation wings participated in the cleanliness drive at D-Chowk.

“The work on the improvement of environment especially rehabilitation of the green belts and median strips adjacent to D-Chowk is in progress and new plantation will be carried out to undo the damages done during the last four days,” CDA spokesperson Ramzan Sajid said.

He said the protesters damaged small trees, ornamental plants, and seasonal flowers in the areas besides damaging flowerpots and flowerbeds.



Sajid said teams of environment wing were busy in removing broken flowerpots while would be replaced with new ones.

Garbage including polyethene bags, disposable glasses, plates, bricks, wooden sticks and another waste material has been removed from D-Chowk.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2016.