No trees to be cut on Canal Road for Yellow Line, LHC issues order

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has been assured that no trees will be cut along Canal Road for the proposed Yellow Line train project, according to a written order issued by Justice Shahid Karim.

The order was issued following the latest hearing of the smog-related case, during which Punjab Advocate General Amjad Pervez appeared before the court. He informed the bench that no final decision or plan had yet been submitted for the Yellow Line project, including a feasibility report or PC-1.

According to the court order, the Advocate General appeared after seeking instructions from various Punjab government departments. He told the court that the Yellow Line project was still at a preliminary stage and that its exact parameters were not yet defined.

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However, Pervez categorically stated that the project, in its current scope, would not require the felling of trees on Canal Road, a key environmental concern raised in earlier proceedings. He further assured the court that if and when the project moves forward, it would be presented before the court for approval prior to any implementation.

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Justice Karim directed that the Punjab government be informed of its obligation not to remove any trees from Canal Road, which he described as a part of the nation’s heritage. The court also instructed the provincial transport secretary to comply fully with the court’s directives.

The case has been part of ongoing judicial oversight into environmental degradation and smog control efforts in Punjab, where rapid urban development has increasingly come into conflict with conservation concerns.