ISLAMABAD- Delay in removal of trees and high-tension electricity transmission lines from the site of Zero Point Interchange (ZPI) is slowing down the pace of work on the much-awaited project. Capital Development Authority (CDA) had promised, after severe criticism it faced for brutally chopping trees during the construction of 7th and 9th avenues, to stop the practice in future. The civic body, then, had announced it had purchased a costly 'Transplanter' truck from Germany so that big trees could be removed from sites of uplift projects and replanted somewhere else. Again, the new Chairman CDA Tariq Mehmood Khan strictly banned axing of grown up trees and directed to dug them out and replant at alternate places. Ironically, the truck couldn't reach Islamabad even after more than a year, and the CDA is continued with its practice as dozens of trees have been so far chopped down from the site of Zero Point Interchange. However, Mumtaz Hussain, Project Director ZPI, while talking to TheNation, said that only those trees belonging to peripheral species were being cut while those of precious species were being dug out and removed from the site through cranes. All the trees chopped down belonging to Eucalyptus family only. TheNation, however, observed that very big trees couldn't be removed through ordinary cranes and these, too, were being axed. Small, but established, trees were also being chopped down no matter what the species these belonged to. Hussain further said that digging out trees was a time consuming process, which, he said, had slowed down the pace of work on the city's biggest single project. Moreover, he said the high-tension electricity transmission lines above the site were offering hindrance in construction activities, which, he said, were being carried out much ahead of schedule. Following the directives of CDA Chairman, he said the construction work on the project was being carried out with an enhanced speed so that the same could be completed much before the stipulated time. The Authority has released Rs 700 million for the project instead of Rs 600 allocated during its budget for the current fiscal year, he informed. Hussain further said that he had been writing letters to Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (IESCO), before the project was started and till date to remove the electricity lines. However, he deplored, the IESCO had turned deaf ear to their requests, which, he feared, could cause delay in completion of the project. Director General (Environment) CDA, Dr Suleman Sheikh, when enquired about delay in getting the 'Transplanter' truck to the capital, said that the shipment had reached Karachi and the truck would be inducted in CDA Environment Wing within a week.