The Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 mandates that before commencing construction of a major road (including flyovers), with a total cost exceeding Rs50m, the proponent must conduct an EIA, with participation of the citizens, and obtain approval from Sepa.

Being a law unto itself, DHA did no such thing and in 2007 began building the Rs600m flyover. Thirteen residents of Khayaban-i-Hafiz (an extension of Gizri Road) filed a petition in the Sindh High Court early in 2008 (CP756/08) protesting against the numerous adverse impacts of the flyover (access restrictions to their homes, reduction in property values, violation of easement rights, etc) and seeking implementation of the law requiring an EIA for such projects.

To blunt this case, in June 2008 DHA filed an Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) report (meant for projects with limited environmental impact), which was rejected by Sepa in September 2008 with directives to file an EIA. In February 2009, the learned judges agreed with the petitioners and directed the DHA to file an EIA with Sepa, but, alarmingly, allowed them to continue with the impugned construction as it had been initiated in the interest of the general public and was for the ultimate benefit of the people. The judges also stated that “in case of any negative findings in the same EIA, the DHA shall be liable to any legal consequences”.

The late Justice Dorab Patel noted in one of his judgments that while it was difficult to recognise what exactly was in the 'public interest', an action that violated a law could hardly be so termed.

Environmentalists pointed out that the Gizri commercial area congestion does not require a flyover more sensible, environment-friendly ways to tackle the issues include enforcement of traffic discipline (bus lanes, slow traffic on the left, no speeding, no jaywalking, stopping at red lights, resulting in slashing fuel wastage, cutting vehicle pollution, saving man-hours and mental stress in unnecessary traffic jams); enforcement of non-peak timings for tankers and trucks; parking discipline (no double/triple parking, compulsory parking spaces in buildings); removal of encroachments such as thelas, khokas, street vendors; and properly engineered traffic signals which do not go off when KESC fails.

The flyover exercise is a grandiose plan to bypass the slum areas of the Gizri road. The rich of this city would rather tackle the symptoms than the causes — the EIA consultant who presented misleading slides showing wide spaces between the flyover structure and adjoining buildings wrote “Hopefully, the problem will be resolved after the construction of the new flyover.” It is but an experiment with considerable environmental downsides.

The people whose quality of life will be most affected are the poor residents of Gizri (not represented at the hearing). Air pollution, already high in the city, will be exacerbated by fumes (lead) being trapped under the flyover, increasing respiratory diseases and cancer.

Noise pollution from the heightened traffic levels, especially at night, will be a mounting source of nuisance. The shadows cast by the flyover, especially between multi-storey buildings, apart from disseminating gloom will affect greenery on the median. Privacy of adjacent residences will be compromised. The flyover footprint will become a garbage dump, as can be observed under intersection flyovers in other parts of our city.

A number of additional questions were raised why is DHA constructing an illegal flyover outside their area in Clifton Cantonment Board jurisdiction? Why did Sepa not stop the unauthorised construction immediately? Why have penalties u/s 17 of PEPA 1997 not yet been imposed on DHA by Sepa? Have the storm drainage impacts been considered?

DHA has a long history of contempt for environmental considerations. Their recent storm-drainage system has been implemented without an EIA, as were the Cogen/desalination plant in Phase-8 in 2004, and components of the Waterfront Development Project in 2003. In 2002, amenity and utility plots behind the Golf Club in Phase-8 were converted into high-rise residential apartment use in 'Creek City'.

DHA is at best a 'plot-planner', not a 'master-planner', manned by retired army personnel who consider even a single square inch of land not sold for profit (including amenity spaces, roads, parks, public facilities) to be wasted. Major arteries in the scheme are 60 to 100 feet wide, and no road (except Khayaban-i-Hafiz and Beach Avenue) is even 120 feet wide. Compare this with the 200 feet-wide thoroughfares of Clifton, 240 feet-wide Sharea Faisal and 320 feet-wide Sharah-i-Noor in North Nazimabad. One thousand and 2,000 square yard plots are being constantly sub-divided into 500-square yard plots, effectively doubling and quadrupling the population (and cars) on them. The incremental completion of Phase-8 will see increasing bedlam and clogging on DHA roads, with pandemonium if Bundal Island and the Waterfront are developed.

Our military strategists would do well to read National Security & the Threat of Climate Change, a 2007 report on the environment prepared by the CNA Corporation with a galaxy of retired US admirals and generals. Their finding globalclimate change presents a serious national security hazardand athreat multiplier in already fragile regions, exacerbating conditions that lead to failed states — the breeding grounds for extremism and terrorism.

The DHA might also imbibe the wisdom of Enrique Penalosa, the mayor of Bogota, Colombia (1998-2000), who successfully addressed most of his city's traffic problems It is very clear today that solving traffic problems by building more and bigger roads [including flyovers] is like trying to put out a fire with gasoline.

arfc@cyber.net.pk