WHATS MORE IMPORTANT; SAVING OR PAVING?

By: Mubin Ali Noor

As the elections creep closer and closer, our standing government has vowed to regain the
publics sacred trust to draw in another 5 years of their run. In attempt to win over the people,
one of the many projects being given due attention is the Metro Bus extension along the Kashmir
Highway and beyond. But how much actual good is this service doing?

During the construction of the Metro Service a large area of greenery has been decimated
causing a great stir over social media with negative reactions. Islamabad is evidently known for
its clever balance between industrial as well as natural development so when news broke over
the massive number of trees being taken down at these sites, including the greenbelts, many
people spoke out over the damage done to the environment. Preserving our greenery has become
an immense challenge along the course of modernization and actions like these surely raise
concern.

Another major inconvenience faced by the traffic is the diversion through impassable, rugged
lands around the highway. The key road towards National University of Science and Technology
(NUST), H-12 has been completely destroyed at the corridor causing havoc for students and
teachers alike. Many other portions of the exquisitely built Kashmir Highway are receiving
damage to its credibility as well as its beauty. A major example being the Islamabad Chowk; the
entrance into Islamabad that was a pleasing welcome has over the extent of a short time been
broken down to expose abundant dirt and dust in the atmosphere along with problematic
diversions.

Taking in account a long term scenario, numerous residents deprived of a Metro route will now
be able to travel to their respective institutions at the cost of packet of crisps. The continuation
from the Chaman Station at Peshawar Morr extending all the way to the New Islamabad
International Airport at Fateh Jang will prove greatly beneficial. Targeting completion in August,
the project stretches about 25.6 kilometers as stated by National Highway Authority (NHA). This
will ensure a convenient entry into Islamabad all the way across to the Pakistan Secretariat and
contralateral; Saddar, Rawalpindi. As long as external factors such as the month of fasting;
Ramadan in combination with excruciating summer heat etc. do not intervene, it shall remain
paced and successful. All in all, the public only hopes for the restoration of all the vegetation as
well as the beauty of the entrance into Islamabad by the responsible authorities with the same
enthusiasm with which the construction is now taking place.