Justice Abdul Sattar Asghar of the Lahore High Court on Friday said no portion of the Lady Wilingdon Hospital’s doctors’ hostel could be demolished to facilitate the construction of Azadi Chowk underpass.
Justice Asghar was hearing petitions against the demolition of various portions of the hospital, including a part of the hostel.
Lahore Development Authority’s legal adviser and a lawyer told the court that a portion of the hostel, measuring three feet, would be demolished to facilitate the construction of a bus stop.
Justice Asghar said the bus stop could be relocated and that he wouldn’t let them “even touch the hostel”. He pointed towards a corner of the court room and said if this corner was demolished, would it not completely disturb the shape of the court?
The counsel for LDA said they would not demolish any portion of the hostel on the condition that if in the future, the hostel had to be demolished, the land would be handed over to the Punjab government.
The judge asked the lawyer to show him the site plan indicating the location of the bus stop. He was shown the map, but he said the map lacked specific details.
Justice Asghar asked Project Director Israr Saeed about the provision for the bus stop in the plan. Saeed said the map showed offset areas where the bus stops would be constructed, but it did not carry specifications on bus stops.
He said the map had been prepared by the NESPAK, their consultant. The judge replied that the NESPAK could make mistakes. He said if the project director could not assist the court, he would be declared unfit for the job. Justice Asghar said a huge amount is spent on the construction of bus stops and the maps should carry specifications on them too.
“If you fail to convince the court on this point, the court will issue a stay order on the entire PC-I for the project apart from the building of the hospital,” Justice Asghar said.
However, the court gave the counsel for the LDA and the government time till March 10 to submit an alternative plan that could ensure the construction of a flyover without disturbing the hostel’s structure.
Dr Salman Kazmi, the petitioner, said the Punjab government had been demanding a 10-feet portion of the hostel, but was now asking for only three-feet. He said the hostel was a two-storey building and demolishing any portion of it would disturb the whole building.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2014.