Long-awaited facility: Slaughterhouse site relocated for fifth time

10 acres allocated at I-9/4 on IJP, 9th Avenue junction.

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) Thursday allocated an alternative plot for the establishment of slaughterhouse at Sector I-9.

The new allocation was approved by the CDA chairman during a meeting held at the authority’s headquarters on Thursday.

CDA spokesperson Asim Khichi said the 10-acre land had been allocated for slaughterhouse at Sector I-9/4 while five acres more will also be available for animals grazing point. He said construction would be made over an area of four kanals.

The plot at Sector I-9/4 at the junction of IJ Principal Road and 9th Avenue is the fifth relocation of the site for the proposed facility after Jamiatul Quraish or butchers association rejected the previous site at Sector I-8/3 for the purpose.

Initially a chunk of land was allocated at Sector G-10, but later the authority decided to auction the plot reserved for the slaughterhouse. And it was decided to move the proposed site to sector H-9/3.

After a significant part of the proposed 20 acres site at sector H-9/3 near Peshawar Morr was eaten up by the under-construction Metro Bus project, the CDA decided to shift it to sector I-11/4.

When the traders opposed the relocation of the site, the civic agency identified a 13-acre in Sector I-8/3 along the IJP Road.

It was again opposed by the butchers and Islamabad Capital Territory Chamber of Small Traders. They were of the view that the project would cause stench and pollution in the middle of the city.

The butchers’ body had also moved the Islamabad High Court against the decision.

For financial year 2014-15 the CDA has allocated Rs100 million for the construction of a slaughterhouse in capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2014.