SC gives go ahead to Lahore Metro project
islamabad — The Supreme Court on Friday allowed a conditional go ahead to the Punjab government to continue work on the Orange Line Metro Train project, setting aside the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) decision to halt the construction near 11 heritage sites in Lahore.
The apex court has conditionally allowed the Punjab government to carry on with the $1.2 billion Orange Line Train project in Lahore. A five-member bench, headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan has formed a committee, led by a retired judge, to oversee the impacts of the project on the effected heritage sites.
The judgment was announced by Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan after the bench had reserved its verdict on the matter in April. Justices Ejaz Afzal Khan, Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Maqbool Baqar and Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel were also part of the larger bench hearing the case.
The bench had taken up identical petitions against the August 19, 2016 LHC judgment suspending construction work on the metro project within 200 feet of 11 heritage sites in the provincial capital.
“With majority of 4 against 1, Maqbool Baqar, dissenting, we endorse and approve the NOCs/permission letters issued by the competent authorities and the recommendations of experts relating to execution, mitigation and remedial measures required to be adopted by the executing agency and allow the project to proceed subject to the conditions and directions,” the court order stated.
The court directed the petitioner to make all necessary arrangements to ensure that the monuments remain stable and undamaged in all respects during the execution of the project as specified in a study conducted by experts.
Vibration monitoring shall be undertaken as part of the monitoring plan using the crack measure devices throughout the construction period.
The court stated that technical experts should be present at the sites during the construction phase in the vicinity of the antiquities and special premises with all necessary equipment for monitoring vibration levels. — APP