LHC Pindi bench stays construction of road blocking access to adjacent property

RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench has issued a stay order on the construction of a road blocking access to the adjacent property situated on main G.T. Road till the next date of hearing.

Petitioner, Pak Dot Group has stated in their plea that the project comprises a bridge consisting of a two-way link road bridge, connecting DHA Rawalpindi with G.T. Road an approach road under passing the National Highway Authority (NHA) existing bridge on Soan River and merging with the GT Road through a defectively designed road ramp blocking the access to their property.

He further stated that his owned land measuring 7.5 Knals is located at the main G.T. Road, Moza Kotha Kalan, Tehsil, and District Rawalpindi, adjacent/adjoining the project, therefore they are particularly affected by it. He further added that DHA started the project without acquiring the land, without obtaining requisite NOCs from the concerned agencies, and without adopting proper procedure under the relevant laws, rules, and regulations i.e. the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997, the Punjab Flood Plain Regulation Act 2016, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency review of Initial Environmental Examination and Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations 2000 and without providing proper right of hearing to the petitioners.

On the petition, Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench has issued a stay order and said no construction at the site blocking access to the adjacent property in question shall be made till the next date of hearing only.

On the complaints of different stakeholders, DHA has already started reconsidering the road design and has ensured them that proper passage will be given to the affectees.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with an additional attorney general for the Pakistan office on 26 June 2023 both the parties DHA and NLC categorically stated that the approach/access to the petitioner and other land will be fully accommodated vis-à-vis right of passage through cursory changes in the design of the project/approach road and the proposed changes in the approach road design will be shared with the petitioner.