ISLAMABAD: Margalla Tunnel project to kick off soon

Associated Press of Pakistan
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has once again planned to execute the Margalla Tunnel project that was shelved by the previous chairman in 2005, following severe criticism from the environmentalists owing to its threats to the natural beauty of Margalla Hills.

"We have another time planned to execute the project of Margalla Tunnel but now we would execute it at any cost," CDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Khan said Friday.

He said the project has become more essential owing to the growing housing shortage in the federal capital as it would provide easy access to the residents to the nearby areas of Haripur and others and help find residences at economical rates.

He said work on the feasibility of the project is underway and the Authority would hire services of NESPAK or any foreign firm for the purpose.

He said at present two or three points have been pointed out for the tunnel which are located near hiking trails and Margazar Zoo, from where the tunnel stretching one, or one-and-half kilometre long can be built, providing easiest link to the Northern Areas of the country.

Regarding the expected criticism from the environmentalists, the CDA chief said the project would cast no negative impact in natural beauty of the city and CDA would continue preserving the Margalla Hills as National Park area in accordance with the Master Plan.

"They should not worry about the natural beauty of Islamabad and safety of flora and fauna. We would invest ten-times more than the loss, reaching to the greenery during the execution of the project," said Tariq Mehmood Khan.

According to the Master Plan of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), the hills would be preserved as national park area. The hills are an extension of the Himalayan range and form the northern boundary of the Potohar plateau. The area comprises some 12,605 hectares of sub-Himalayan forest vegetation.

He said the tunnel would be as wide as providing enough space for four-lane road and rail link to make the communication easier between the capital and Northern areas.

The CDA chief was confident enough to say that the project could be completed within next two years as work would be started on war-footing basis.

Tariq Mehmood said he would also brief President Asif Ali Zardari on the project in a detailed presentation on 19th of this month, adding that Authority is also planning to extend its Mass Transit System to the tunnel where CNG buses and mono-train would be plied.

According to the environmentalists, the proposed tunnel would result in swarms of people thronging the area, causing irreparable damage to the natural beauty of the hills.