LAHORE– Under the guidance of Chief Minister Punjab, Sardar Usman Buzdar, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) introduced the much awaited Land Use Regulations during 2020 for allowing new business ventures for promoting trade, commerce and industry in the four districts of Lahore division. Policy and guidelines had been provided as a result of promulgation of Land Use Rules for permitting change in use of land for starting new business activities for generating more and more job opportunities for the youth.
These business friendly regulations have allowed five percent discount on lump sum payment of commercialization fee, provided facility for payment of commercialization fee in easy installments of three years instead of two years and permitted amalgamation of equal measurement of land into the land already underuse for expansion of existing business. The regulations have waived off commercialization for NGOs and charities to encourage welfare activities. A new concept of setting up commercial zone has been introduced, under the title of Area Development Project, on an area of 24 kanals to 200 kanals.
Lahore Development Authority also launched Iqbal Sector of LDA City, spreading over ten thousand kanals of land, after allocating plots to more than 10,000 file holders of LDA City Phase-I, Jinnah Sector, through balloting. The amount to be paid by the file holders as 50 percent development charges had been slashed by the governing body of LDA after revision of estimates in this regard. Development works for construction of roads, water supply and sewerage system and other infrastructure was underway at a cost of Rs. 3 billion in all the six packages of Jinnah sector spreading over 13000 kanals. Work for construction of 200 feet wide Chanab Road will soon be commenced. Development works were also started on the lands retrieved through successful negotiations with four private housing schemes for allotment of plots to 1300 affected allotees of LDA Avenue One.
Lahore Development Authority recently completed construction of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Underpass near Firdous Market, Gulberg. It also constructed the gateway to the city named as Bab-e-Lahore near Thokar Niaz Beg on Multan Road. An overhead bridge for pedestrians near Jinnah Hospital has also been completed. LDA has also carried out patch work of roads in different parts of Lahore including Johar Town, Gulberg, Allama Iqbal Town,Canal Bank Road,Harbanspura,Gujjarpura, Samanabad, Multan Road and other areas.
Work for cleaning, washing, painting and installation of lights in 11 underpasses on both sides of the canal on Canal Road from Thokar Niaz Beg to Jallu was in progress these days. The 15 overhead bridges for pedestrians on Canal Road were also being cleaned and maintained. Cleaning and painting work of grills on both sides of the canal was also underway. Moreover, cleaning, washing and painting of overhead bridges in various other areas of the city was also being carried out.
After the success of the Rainwater Harvesting project on Lawrence Road, similar projects were being launched in two other locations in the city. These projects will be constructed at Bismillah Park Tajpura and outside Sheeranwala Gate Circular Road at a total cost of Rs. 240 million. The project will have a capacity of 1.2 million gallons at Tajpura and 1.5 million gallons outside Sheeranwala Gate. Under a phased program, such projects will be completed at eight more places in the city.
Under the guidance of Chief Minister, Punjab, LDA’s initiatives have improved Pakistan’s position in the Ease of Doing Business rankings by 54 notches. Lahore’s score has increased from 58.16 to 70.4. For speedy processing of various types of applications by the people, counters of different relevant departments including WASA, TEPA, Town Planning and Metropolitan Planning have been set up under one roof in the e-service center at the One Window Cell of LDA. Processing of applications by a private architect have been allowed for issuance of completion certificate within 30 days and the hassle of repeated visits to the LDA office has been relieved. E-Khidmat Center’s website www.fc.punjab.gov.pk has provided the facility to apply for approval of building plan without coming to LDA office and approval is given in 30 days. A revolutionary step has been taken by allowing construction of residential and low-rise commercial buildings as soon as the building plan was submitted for approval. Residential, commercial, industrial, warehouse building plans were being approved in just 30 days. Completion certificate of the building was being issued in just 30 days. Conversion to commercial, industrial and other use of land was being allowed in 45 days. Water connection fee and time required for installation of connection has been reduced by WASA. LDA fee submission through online / one link will also be started soon.
Following an agreement between LDA and NADRA, the Lahore Development Authority has gained access to NADRA’s database during 2020. NADRA counter has been set up at LDA One Window Cell. In order to eliminate chances of forgery and fraud, the biometric of the sellers and the purchasers of plots can be verified before processing the requests for sale and purchase of plots.
Lahore Development Authority continued to do initial work for preparation of Master Plan for Lahore. The new master plan will provide roadmap for the development of the city during the next three decades. For appointing a consultant in a transparent manner, LDA followed an exhaustive procedure, spanning over more than one year, and held consultative sessions with town planners, academia, civil society, builders, developers and other stake holders. Dar-ul-Handsa, a Lebanese consortium has qualified after evaluation of the technical proposal submitted by the three companies for preparation of new Master Plan 2050 for Lahore. Financial bid of the qualifying company has also been opened which amounted to Rs. 520 million. *****
With the approval of the Punjab Cabinet, revolutionary changes were introduced by Lahore Development Authority in Private Housing Schemes Rules. For easy and quick approval of private housing schemes, the condition for getting preliminary planning permission has been eliminated.
Conditional permission has been given for advertisement and sale of plots before final approval of the scheme. ( This was subject to the technical approval of the layout plan, payment of fees and registration of transfer deed and mortgage deed with the Revenue Department). For encouraging construction of apartments in the housing scheme, the limit of area has been abolished. For construction of low cost apartment scheme, width of main road has been fixed at 40 feet and side roads at 20 feet. For the promotion of business activities, permission has been granted to increase the commercial area in the housing scheme. Facility to acquire land up to 10% by paying at market rate has been provided under the Land Acquisition Act. Graveyard space has been allowed to be provided within a radius of five kilometers of the residential scheme. Planting 10 tree per kanal has been made compulsory for making a housing scheme environment friendly.
For making Prime Minister’s Clean and Green program a success, Chief Minister, Punjab, Sardar Usman Buzdar launched the “Go Green” mobile application developed by the LDA in April 2020. This application is used for Geo-tagging of plants planted in LDA controlled area. It is used to monitor the presence and growth status of plants planted at different places is monitored. This application can also be used to find out what kind of fruit, flower or other plant has been planted in which place. Citizens can also plant and geo-tagging through the “Go Green” application.
The Chief Minister, Punjab, launched the LDA Insaf web portal in May 2020. The portal facilitated the citizens to submit online applications. The following types of applications can be submitted through the portal. Illegal construction at any place can be reported / reported online. Applications for cases filed in the courts can be submitted online. Court orders can be submitted online. Different types of questions can be asked online. Building period extension may be requested. Plot subdivision application can be submitted.
In order to effectively follow up the cases related to LDA pending in the courts, a “Lawsuit Management System” was introduced in the institution and a system of monitoring and tracking of these cases was introduced.— PRESS RELEASE
