Project advances despite lawyers' resistance

Despite the lawyers' resentment, construction has formally commenced on the state-of-the-art Rs6.5 billion District Kachehri Underpass and Overhead Bridge Project, extending from Mall Road to Old Airport Road.

Initial activity at the site includes the reconstruction of boundary walls surrounding the Commissioner's Office, Civil Defence Office, and Local Government Department, as well as along the Fatima Jinnah Women University and the Mall Road boundary of the Commissioner's Office. Simultaneously, work has begun to remove and replant trees and shrubs from the central road dividers to alternative locations.

However, construction on the District Kachehri Chowk and Jhelum Road section has yet to commence due to strong reservations expressed by the District Bar Association.

District Bar Association President Sardar Manzar Bashir said that the 80-year-old mosque at Kachehri Chowk lies within five feet of the project's alignment and would have to be demolished. The residence of the mosque's imam is also affected. Furthermore, 14 chambers in Hamza Block, 11 kiosks, and the entire parking area of Kachehri Chowk fall within the project boundary, which, he cautioned, would exacerbate the already critical parking shortage in the area.

He added that the executive block's large shed has also been included in the project's footprint, necessitating the complete demolition of the double-story executive block.

"This is a national project, and we do not oppose it," Bashir said, "but we demand alternative arrangements and financial compensation for those affected."

To address concerns regarding the mosque, authorities have offered to vacate the adjoining civil court building and allocate it for the mosque — a proposal the association has welcomed. Negotiations between Bar representatives and the district administration are currently underway to agree on a fair compensation and relocation package.

Bashir emphasised that no construction work would be permitted on the District Court side of Kachehri Chowk until these matters are satisfactorily resolved.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the project, under directives from the Deputy Commissioner, the Telephone Department and IESCO have begun removing utility poles, while the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has initiated the realignment of gas pipelines.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has also started transplanting trees and flowering plants from the roadside and central medians to designated alternative sites.