CDA ‘transplants’ trees along under-construction underpass

Pak-EPA forms committee to oversee the transplant process

ISLAMABAD: With work on the Sector G-7 — G-8 underpass on Faisal Avenue commencing this week, instead of rooting out trees along the avenue and destroying them, the civic authority has employed a tree transplanting device to relocate them to another area so that they can continue growing.

The tree transplanter is being utilised by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to relocate trees along Faisal Avenue and on adjoining greenbelts. These trees stand to be affected by work on an underpass to connect the adjoining sectors of G-7 and G-8 in the federal capital. Work on the underpass started last week.

The transplanter was used following recommendations from a committee set up on the directions of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) for scientifically transplanting grown trees which stand to be affected due to the construction of the underpass.

The committee will also supervise the transplantation process and has directed the relevant departments to ensure proper monitoring of the trees even after they have been transplanted to ensure their survival.

The idea behind the transplant is to not only protect trees which have been growing along the avenue for years but to also maintain the green character of the city.

To preserve the green character of the city and for its further enhancement, the CDA had devised a policy to plant 30 plants in place of an affected tree.

Acting upon this policy, not only new trees planted but affected trees are being transplanted at alternative sites, but a massive tree plantation drive has been carried out in the vicinity of the under-construction underpass.

In this connection, five to eight feet tall grown plants were planted in the area last September before development work on the project commenced so that the environment in the surroundings could be improved.

Among the trees planted were 250 Alistonia plants, 200 Pilkhan plants, 300 Cheer-pine plants, 40 Sapium and 200 Sukchain plants. While planting the plants it was kept in consideration that these plants could withstand local weather conditions so that their proper growth could be ensured.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had last year decided to finally build the long-mooted underpass on Faisal Avenue to connect Sector G-7 with the neighbouring Sector G-8 and ease the flow of traffic between these densely populated districts and key centres of the city. The project is estimated to cost Rs395 million to build, while the CDA has set a six-month deadline to complete the process.

Construction of the underpass had been initially approved by CDA’s Departmental Working Party in 2014. Building underpasses in the city were part of its old master plan to link sectors together. In this regard, the CDA had managed to build underpasses on Seventh Avenue to link Sector G-6 with Sector G-7 and Sector F-6 with Sector F-7. A further two underpasses were planned to be built on Faisal Avenue but no progress was made on the project until last year.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2020.