Technical Journal, University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila, Pakistan Vol. 24 No. 4-2019 ISSN:1813-1786 (Print) 2313-7770 (Online)
Evaluation of Environmental & Physical Impacts of Mega Transportation Projects: A Case of Lahore
M.Nawaz 1, F.Tariq 2, A.Gul 3, N.B.Sheikh 4, S.Malik 5
1,2,3,4,5University of Management & Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract- The environmental effects allied with mega Pollution, Air Pollution. constructions often have remarkable negative bearings on cities. Cities around the globe function better when I. INTRODUCTION they have a refined public transportation system. Unfortunately, while developing Asian megacities, The massive growth of cities spills usage of governments have failed to develop sustainable motorized traffic immensely. The use of these vehicles transportation system and the cities suffer from serious poses a serious warning to growing cities [i]. Large environmental hazards in the midst of urban growth. scale projects have long-term ecological impacts on The absence of efficient policies regarding public regions and these impacts are multi-dimensional. transport is notable cause for such prompt escalation of Therefore, we should take full account of its impacts on diverse problems like increase in number of personal regional ecology from the multi angle of the life cycle automobile, which further causes congestion on the of the project including decision-making, design, road resulting in air and noise pollution, which construction, maintenance, updates and scrap phases ultimately affect the human's health. Therefore, [ii]. Pakistan, as a developing country, has a foremost crisis Greenery and natural beauty are the attributes of on its hands. Traffic congestion in Pakistan is mostly Lahore's environment. The enormous number of coped by constructing overheads and subways, but gardens is testament to its abundant offerings for those constructing these is not the answer. Transportation looking to sit back and relax among the flora. Lahore issues need to be integrated with an inclusive plan that once known as cities of gardens with broader streets, includes better transit and public transport systems. To ample greenery of trees and fewer high-rise has now solve the traffic problems of metropolitan city of transformed into a concrete jungle. The development Lahore, the projects like Azadi Square, Kalma projects of flyovers, housing schemes are emergent Intersection, Orange line train and Metro Bus have been everywhere and do not envision the environmental undertaken. Such projects aim at reducing automobile concerns. dependency, to limit land waste, to address Lahore City, on its journey of becoming a Metropolis, sustainability of transport system and to make the through urbanization has created serious problem of places healthy where people live and work more over population. The environmental and infrastructural conveniently. But in reality, the city environment is a lot facilities are running short to fulfill the needs of disturbed because of these projects. This paper will growing population. Traffic issues in Lahore are mostly highlight the hazardous impacts of construction of managed by building larger and better roads. Moreover, mega transportation projects on the environment of poor management and political decisions in managing Lahore, with the help of systematic literature review public transport and automobile has aggravated the approach which is used to summaries, appraise, drive situation. and communicate results and implications from a Urban environments can only be protected by calming detailed literature survey. Review of EIA reports, fastest source of air, water and noise pollution and it can research studies and news-papers articles/interviews only be done with sustainable transportation systems was considered as sample of study, which reveals that with supporting policies that can help to improve urban these mega projects usually do not follow the environments meaningfully. In this paper, aims to Environmental impact requirements and standards. highlight the hazardous physical and environmental impacts of mega transportation projects of Lahore City. Keywords- Environmental Hazards, Public Transport, Consequently, to make suggestions to improve the Governmental Role, Physical Hazards, Noise situation.
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II. METHODOLOGY Physical Hazards. A graphical illustration of research design can be seen in the figure. Consequently, data was This paper aims to highlight the hazardous impacts collected from the secondary sources against these of construction as well as operation phase of mega- perspectives and their subcategories, for various cases transportation projects on the environment of Lahore. of mega-transportation projects of Lahore City. Scope An approach of systematic literature review was used to of the study was limited to Lahore, the second largest summaries, appraise, drive and communicate results city of Pakistan, in terms. and implications from EIA (Environment Impact of population and area. But it was mainly preferred Assessment) reports, various research studies, and because Lahore is leading city in terms of infrastructure newspaper articles and interviews. In this approach, development, as Syed Zeeshan Haider described, “No literature becomes the sample of study, therefore, the other city in Pakistan compares to Lahore in… literature was explored to the extent that a saturation, in …infrastructure development projects.” [iii] terms of repetition of knowledge, was reached. A Major findings were drawn out from the existing research design was prepared, encompassing the literature to establish a prevailing trend and to identify categories and subcategories of potentials t h e a r e a s f o r i m p r o v e m e n t s i n f o r m o f environmental hazards. Majorly two main perspectives recommendations. were streamlined i.e. Environmental Hazards and
Figure 1: Research Design III. ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS better transportation routes had adverse effect on environment in one way or another. As Hammad Naqi Pakistan is experiencing a rapid growth in its Khan, said “Lahore is going through a severe economy, increase in its population, and urban growth. environmental crisis,” he further explained that Over time, industrialization, rural urban migration, and because of massive development Lahore has to face the change in environmental conditions are collectively problems of health, air pollution, noise pollution, water causing adverse impacts. Lahore, being one of the pollution and climate change [v]. biggest city of Pakistan and capital of Punjab, since after independence in 1947, it has transmuted itself into A. Noise Pollution educational, cultural and transportation center [iv]. All As per the government report presented by Advocate this has caused Lahore city to expand day by day. The Ahmed Rauf before the court; the construction of the i n c r e a s i n g p o p u l a t i o n d e m a n d s f o r m o r e flyover at Ring Road, Raiwind and Kalma intersection, infrastructures, housing facilities and better more than 50% of noise will reduce after completion of transportation. In order to meet this growing demand, the project as it was launched to lower traffic pressure in large infrastructure for housing and transportation has the city [vi]. However the situation on ground is entirely been constructed. This unplanned development is not different. The city faced heavy noise pollution not only productive and is counter-productive as corresponding during the construction of these flyovers and development is not integrated with other fields. underpasses but also in their running phase. Peak hours It is the case of Lahore; all the development made for turn the junctions into a constant vote of horns and
9 Technical Journal, University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Taxila, Pakistan Vol. 24 No. 4-2019 ISSN:1813-1786 (Print) 2313-7770 (Online) motors. Another listed addition to noise pollution in the said that EIA report of OLMT fails to encounter the city is tongas, hawkers and rickshaws who creates a increased particulate matter during construction phase. mess in general traffic flow and at various junctions in He further stated that construction work and traffic the city. congestion along the route will aggravate the situation Metro bus service was also initiated to facilitate general and will result in increased level of air pollution. public to commute along a major corridor but despite of Moreover, the material used in the construction of the fact that the EIA report satisfies the standard of OLMT is also contributing in increased amount of optimum noise level, it continues to add to city noise particulate matter in the air [x]. pollution. Deputy Director of the Environment Protection Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) is a 27 Km long Department, Nasim-ur-Rehman Shah, stated that the route starting from Dera Gojra and ending at Niaz Baig project will be carried out in an environment-friendly passing through major sites old Lahore. Nespak manner and said to schedule a public hearing. Whereas conducted EIA report of the project and stated that it is a in contrast, the residents of the colony near Shalimar completely feasible project in terms of noise standards. Garden were completely against the project and it But this route entails major transportation modes, reflects poor planning [xi]. moreover a train running on metal racks will create an additional 100dB sound. EIA reports remain silent C. Traffic Congestion towards this aspect of noise pollution. As per official of Easy Bank loans have made it easy to own personal Environment Protection Agency, “The construction vehicles resulting in increased traffic volume on the area is in stark noise pollution, that will become more roads of Lahore. This increased traffic volume creates worse when Orange train will start its operation” [vii]. mess on the roads. During previous years, Government had spent billions of rupees to answer the sewer traffic B. Air Pollution condition in Lahore City, including construction of Air pollution is a major environmental issue in flyovers and under passes. “Latest signal-free junctions Pakistan, especially in case of Lahore where smog is and U-turns cannot calm down this congestion and the getting denser by each passing day. Emission from citizens still seems to face traffic jams during peak automobiles is one of the major causes of hours” [xi]. contaminating the air. The ratio of these particulate In view of the traffic jams and irregular traffic at Azadi matters is increasing day by day in the urban Chowk, the Punjab Government initiated various environment with increasing traffic volume. “The solutions; one of it is construction of Metro. But at- major air polluters due to heavy traffic are gases and grade Metro Bus encounters conflict at eight junctions chemicals like nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, one of the critical one is Azadi Chowk. The Azadi carbon monoxide and lead. Nitrogen dioxide and Chowk conflict needs immediate solution in order to sulphur dioxide caused frequent acid rains, eyes and relax both the multi modal traffic as well as the Metro lung diseases. Carbon monoxide trigger dizziness, Bus flow” [xii]. severe headaches, and in many cases its excess may Another intervention is the “formation of U-Turns and lead to death. Lead is also hazardous and may cause signal free strip in order to accommodate the traffic cancer [viii]. The suspended particulate matter (dust jams at crossings. The authorities claimed that after and smoke) already exceeded the WHO standards. The completion of these, there would be no congestions noise level measured is more than 85 dba [ix]. especially along educational institutions like LCWU, Traffic like, cars, vans busses, rickshaws are Kinnaird and APWA. The patients and especially the contributing a lot in the air pollution of the city. As per ambulances will have easy access to the Punjab Environmental Department of City District Institute of Cardiology and Services Hospital. In lieu of Government, rickshaws contribute 65 % of total it, LDA has created seven signal free junctions and two vehicular pollution. And in the present scenarios two- underpasses in Lahore. One underpass built at China stroke rickshaws and motorcycle rickshaws act as a Chowk and other near Sherpoa bridge, and seven signal parasitic mode of transportation all over the city of free U-turns will be constructed at different junctions” Lahore resulting in increased level of air pollution in the [xiii]. whole city. Lahore Metro Bus Service would be justified project, Lahore Metro bus service also comes up with the aim “if it caters the majority of population. There are still that it will reduce the air pollution and traffic accidents over 350,000 cars and 850,000 motorcycles on the because of rashly driven rickshaws and wagons and will Lahore city roads, the claim that the project will share provide the general public a safe and fast means of the load has not been achieved, and the congestion has communication. EIA report cannot justify the air not been reduced after Metro bus. quality standards and thus unable to ensure the The Metro bus in Lahore has 180,000 trips per day, necessary measures to control air pollution in which seems to be an impressive number, but in broader construction phase of the metro bus. sense, it falls into virtual insignificance. Lahore city has A representative of Lahore Bachao Tehreek, Ali Amjad approximately 5.3 million trips per day, and metro trips
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of 180,000 are only 3.3 percent of it. For a mass transit reduce the impact of construction activities on heritage system to be efficient, it should accommodate at least sites and public property as well; and in the matter of 20% of the city's daily ridership, and the 3.3 percent unavoidable interference prior consultation is needed to figure is far below it – which builds the Lahore Metro develop consensus on options (e.g. re-location/re- bus an unreasonable expenditure” [xiv] building) or any other form of agreed compensation” Lahore city is also facing long traffic jams on the [xvii]. construction sites of Orange Line. This reflects poor But the execution has not been seen accordingly. Also planning at the end of Government. For the serious concerns has been expressed by UNESCO construction phase; no alternative routes have been regarding the Punjab Government's negligence for not provided to general public that make the condition even taking bringing up the issue prior to the launch of the worse during peak hours [xv]. project in front of Shalamar Gardens [xviii].
IV. PHYSICAL HAZARDS B. Urban Issues Due to the construction of the Lahore Rail Mass Transit There has been a number of physical hazards that System (LRMTS), land acquisition has occurred, “The arise as a result of construction of mega transportation compensation for the structures, plots, private and projects which includes conservational issues and public properties etc. had to be made as per law. The urban sprawl issues, due to population displacement, affectees should be provided with judicious trees cutting and agricultural land destruction: compensation by allocating ample budget in total cost of project” [xvii]. Unfortunately, the compensation was A. Conservational Issues not transparent and has generated chaos. “The fear of Culture and heritage of settlements, towns and cities people is real, as they still remember how their evolves in centuries and these ought to be preserved and businesses and lives are suffered due to their conserved and damaging them or hindering their view displacement from business centres and/or residential is no way justified in the name development. As areas” [xiii]. deplored by Prof. Ajaz Anwar (Information Secretary, Aslam while overviewing the EIA in Pakistan wrote Lahore Conservation Society), “In the name of that “Public consultation during the preparation of EIA development, it must not be allowed to culminate does not happen. Although reports generally stated that Lahore's identity through projects like Orange Line”. stakeholders have been consulted but in most cases this The project of Metro Bus has smashed the cultural consultation does not happen” [xix]. Due to absence of fabric of Lahore-the city which is one of its kind-by public participation and lack of their consent, the hindering view of Lahore's cultural assets like the projects are not accepted on psychological level, which Badshahi Mosque Minar-i-Pakistan and Lahore Fort. is the basic level of projects implementation. On the Now the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train Project is first place, people are not made to realize the need of the also affecting two major markers of the city i.e project, and eventually the consent for land acquisition Shalamar Gardens and Chauburji. could not be attained. Secondly, no laws have been In case of Orange line project it has been observed that made to relocate the activities and people that were there has been no feasibility study, neither interaction displaced, how then people can be expected to abide by with public, and certainly no suggestions are invited. It the laws. This results in promoting the trend of laisez appeared that the prime objective was merely to finish it faire wherein people are free of all the land use rules and as quickly as possible and gift it to the public as a “Done master plans. This ultimately promotes sprawl, which Job”. then abused the green and agricultural lands. According “It is prohibited by law to construct within 200ft of to NESPAK report, there is a continuing diffusion in the protected declared and heritage sites. Antiquities Act of outer areas with average density of 120 people per acre, 1975 and Punjab Special Premises Preservation which has increased significantly by now [xx]. Ordinance of 1985 clearly states the prohibition of Then comes the “Canal Widening Project” wherein the mega construction in their close locale” [xvi]. plan is to widen the canal bank road as a solution to Moreover, under Lahore Bachao Tehreek (LBT) congestion due to the increasing vehicular traffic. various civic and civil rights organizations stood Neither the legal obligation of conducting the EIA of against the compromise upon city's heritage sites the the project has been fulfilled nor has the assurance of Government is commencing as well as against the act of transparency of the project been maintained by depriving a large population of their homes, business involving public. Historically, widened roads only end and property through land acquisition [xv]. up drawing more traffic, as well a social disparity The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of wherein the government focuses on providing for the Orange Line has been steered by National Engineering car-owning citizen in a country like Pakistan where the Services Pakistan (NESPAK), there were given clear population that requires drinking water, public provisions to incorporate the conservational issues such transport, public toilets and sidewalks, and is far larger as; “integration of technical design elements in order to than the elite fraction. “There is a great concern among
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organizations and groups of concerned citizens that the historical part to the modern part of the city. An project violates basic codes of transportation overhead bridge or an underpass enables you to reach engineering and design and is feeble in offsetting traffic your destination faster. A widened road gives you open congestion” [xxi]. choice of bringing out your own vehicle according to The “Canal widening project” also includes the cutting your own ease. Infrastructure is necessary for down of several thousand old trees and have lost over development, but it can also have devastating impacts 50 acres of the green belt, which is sure to lead to a on the environment. The road that cuts through the older number of environmental problems including rising parts of the city is a threat to the originality that lies in carbon and toxic content and subsequently the history of the city. The overhead or underpass bridge temperatures, plus the loss of old species of shrubs and that enables you to be faster are built at the cost of the trees that provide shelter to a variety of birds and small sentiments of a large population including those whose animals. lands have been acquired and those who are relocated. In addition to all these physical hazards, the urban The widened road generates a very clear social disparity design and beauty of the city is also a lot damaged due to among those who can afford their own vehicle and those such interim projects, which are not the part of any who cannot. development plan. “A complaint has been filed with the The design, planning and construction of infrastructure Environmental Protection Department regarding the projects does not always consider environmental long run sustainability of the project. It said that the concerns. Though long-term development plans are no elevated BRTS track threatened the scenic beauty of more a practice in the developed countries yet in various heritages sites and would also result in a fall of Pakistan the norm is still followed and so called master property values” [xxii]. plans are prepared for the developments to come during the span of coming 25-30 years. These are the only V. RESULTS & DISCUSSION planning we observe for our cities and even these are not followed after spending millions on preparing these ''Few forces have been more influential in plans. Irrespective of that, such large-scale projects modifying the earth than transportation'' [xxiii]. must be according to the needs of the people at least Large-scale construction projects are the ones which since planning is supposed to be for the people, but have great impacts on people's lives. Especially the public, their aspires and needs are considered the least. major transportation projects are likely to lead to socio- Moreover, when these projects are not planned properly economic, political, cultural and environmental on the first place, their sustainability has to remain a conflicts. These projects demand long construction question mark then. The governments, industry and period, large capital investment, huge scale of other leaders must consider the sustainability, including construction throughout the life cycle even after their examining innovative ways that will reduce construction. Therefore, these projects are fundamental environmental impact. to alleviate the problems related to environment. Following table shows the deductions made from the A road cuts through the heart of the city links its original systematic literature review as results and findings of the research:
Table 1. Results and Findings
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VI. CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS regional impacts of these projects are also ignored resulting in regional disparities, social inequalities and On the basis of above investigations and job-population imbalances. Proper research must back deliberations, following conclusions and up these projects with all such considerations dually recommendations are derived: Transportation related taken into account. projects including modifications in the existing There are also large loopholes in our legal structures infrastructure or construction of new physical specially to incorporate the indirect impacts of these structures involve a whole ecological environment. large-scale transportation projects. More attention must Proper planning and designs for which may provide an be devoted to predicting and assessing. opportunity to reduce or mitigate the adverse The methods and data used for environmental environmental impacts as well as to make the assessment are insufficient to meet the objectives of environmental conditions even better through these sustainable development. Also public participation and projects. involvement is considered the least. Improvements in In addition to other important dimensions that are assessment methods through public participation must ignored during planning and designing of these be done. Integration of environmental considerations projects, the large scale and long term spatial and early in the projects and consideration of green transportation modes must be the first step ahead.
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