LAHORE – To ensure the implementation of the Lahore Master Plan 2021 and prepare recommendations for doing away with the problems being faced by private housing society developers, MNA Khawaja Saad Rafique and Lahore Division Commissioner Jawad Rafique Malik have ordered the formation of a committee comprising representatives of the City District Government Lahore (CDGL), Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and developers.
They issued these instructions at a meeting held on Tuesday to review the Lahore Master Plan 2021 in the presence of the owners of private housing societies.
Others who attended the meeting included Lahore DCO Noor-ul-Amin Mangal; MPAs Khawaja Imran Nazir and Haji Allah Rakha; LDA Director General Ahad Cheema; DHA, Nishtar Town and Iqbal Town administrators; and the owners of private housing society.
Speaking on the occasion, Khawaja Saad Rafique regretted that neither government officers nor private housing society developers were following the Lahore Master Plan 2021. He, however, warned that no one would be allowed from now onwards to violate the master plan since it enjoyed a legal status.
Rafique cautioned that no one would be allowed to make katchi abadis in the name of petty housing society without any development work. He pointed out that it was common observation that some unscrupulous people, having developed housing societies at small landholdings, disappeared without carrying out development works; while the government was left with no option but to provide civic amenities in these societies.
The private developers, on that occasion, complained that the district government had imposed a ban on the purchase of land for housing societies; while, on the other hand, a huge fee was being charged from the developers even after transferring 40 per cent of the housing society’s land to the LDA in public interest.
On this, the Lahore DCO made it clear that the government had not imposed any such ban and the letter issued by the government pertained to the societies developed without permission. “The government, however, discourages the development of housing societies on agricultural land,” he added.
The LDA director general informed the meeting that only 40 per cent land of any housing society to be developed was transferred to the LDA for development work in the public interest. He said it had been an old practice, while the fee for the same had also been increased. The Lahore Division commissioner directed to review the fee and reduce it in consultation with private land developers.
The Lahore DCO said he was committed to preserve “the lungs” of the City at every cost. “The Lahore Master Plan 2021 failed to ensure due share of greenery in housing societies, so work on the new master plan was initiated,” he added.
The DCO also invited suggestions from the participants to make the proposed plan more acceptable. He regretted the findings of a study conducted in Nishtar Town that revealed 12 housing societies had been established in the agricultural area violating the rules set in the master plan 2021.
The Lahore DCO clarified that no new housing scheme will be issued NOC until its owner had submitted an undertaking about the surety to abide by all CDGL rules. The participants welcomed the new initiative for green Lahore and extended their full cooperation in this regard.