SHC issues notices to authorities over tree cutting on Red Line route

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Chief Secretary Sindh and others over tree cutting by authorities to clear the route of Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, ARY News reported.

A single bench of the high court comprised of Justice Syed Hassan Azhar Rizvi issued notices to the chief secretary, Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, Director Forest, Wildlife Department, D.C. Malir and Korangi, Administrator Karachi, Advocate General Sindh, CEO Malir Cantonment Board and the CEO Korangi Cantonment Board.

A petition was filed by advocates Shahnawaz and Mohin Abbasi in the Sindh High Court against cutting of hundreds of fully grown trees in Karachi by authorities to clear way for the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

The court denied a restraining order owing to the public interest nature of the project.

The petition stated that hundreds of old trees were cut down in the limits of Cantonment Board Malir (CBM) to make way for the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project adding that overall 30,000 trees would be uprooted on the route of the project.

“The Sindh government has recently started construction work on Karachi’s Red Line BRT project and in the first phase, the route from Tank Chowk near Malir Halt to Safoora Chowrangi will be completed. The transport authorities have recently cut down trees in the CBM limits for the project and have plans to cut around 50,000 trees for the 26-km project ending at Numaish Chowrangi,” according to the petition.

The petitioners sought the high court’s intervention to restrain the provincial government from cutting more trees as the step will further aggravate the climate problems for the city including soaring temperatures in the city.

Recently, TransKarachi, a Public Sector Company established and owned by the Government of Sindh to carry out the project implementation of the Karachi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line, has also initiated a tree plantation drive across Karachi.

Red Line BRT

The Sindh government recently started construction work on Karachi’s Red Line BRT project, according to Trans Karachi – the operator of Karachi Breeze System.

In the first phase, the route from Tank Chowk near Malir Halt to Safoora Chowrangi will be completed.

The Red Line will span 26 km from Safoora to Tower. It is expected to have an average daily ridership of 625,000 passengers.

The route of the 26-kilometer BRT Red Line project will connect Model Colony to Johar Complex en route Jinnah Avenue and Malir Cantt while the buses will run through University Road, Hassan Square and Numaish roundabout.

24 stations would be constructed on this line which will run from Malir Halt to Numaish via Model Colony, Safoora Goth, King Cottages, Met Office, NED University, Safari Park, Nipa, Urdu University, Masjid Baitul Mukarram, Civic Centre, Askari Park, Dawood University and Society Office.

A bio-gas plant will be installed on a 31-acre land in Cattle Colony area of Karachi, which will be used for fulfilling the fuel needs of the bus service.