Construction near OLMT: Officials to ensure safety of historical sites

Justice Hussain reviews progress of work and inquires members of committee about measures taken

LAHORE: In order to ensure the safety of the historical monuments along the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT), Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain has directed National College of Arts Principal and Lahore University of Engineering and Technology’s Structure Engineering division head to pay frequent and surprise visits to the site as per the decision of the
Supreme Court.

He was speaking at the third meeting of the special committee held on Saturday. Justice Hussain is a former SCP judge and chairman of the special committee of experts constituted on the direction of the apex court to oversee ongoing construction of the metro train project.

Last month, he said that the preservation of historical sites and the provision of a mass transit system were equally important.

The apex court had allowed the Punjab government to go ahead with the construction of the metro train project on 31 various conditions. The Supreme Court ordered the formation of a broad-based special committee of experts, headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, to oversee the implementation of the judgment of the court.

The chief justice nominated Justice Hussain as chairman of the committee and a notification was issued accordingly.

On Saturday, the committee members, representatives of the LDA, NESPAK and Punjab Archaeology Department paid a detailed visit to the metro train depot at Dera Gujjran and inspected locomotive yards. They also visited the famous Shalamar Gardens, Gulabi Bagh and Bhudhu’s Tomb to inspect historic structures.

Justice Hussain reviewed the progress of work and inquired from members of the committee regarding various measures adopted by the executing agency for safety and stability of historic monuments.

LDA Director General, LDA Chief Engineer and NESPAK Managing Director briefed committee members about the progress of work on the OLMT project. Members of the committee were shown various sites with the help of drone technology. They were also briefed about various precautionary measures adopted at and near historical monuments and sites to ensure safety. They also apprised the committee members about results of sound and vibration collected from various monuments falling near the metro train site.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2018.