LAHORE - Massive irregularities in Town Planning Branch of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), notorious as the best moneymaking source for the officials concerned, are rampant with impunity. A sub-engineer namely Manzoor Ahmed of mechanical branch was sent to the engineering branch of the LDA due to his malpractices a month back. Now he has been transferred to the Town Planning Branch at the behest of an influential director of the town planning branch. Most of the LDA officials always try to join this branch as it is reckoned to be very lucrative for the corrupt officials. The sub-engineer who is holding a mechanical diploma is not competent for the slot. However, he has been transferred to the Town Planning Branch. While an official if having diploma in civil engineering is eligible only to render his services in the said branch. The branch involves physical demarcation of schemes, preparation of demarcation record of blocks and each plot of LDA schemes, sanction of building plans of residential, commercial, industrial and all public utility sites, private approved schemes and within controlled area of LDA, and to check the violations against the approved plan and to decide the cases regarding composition of these violations. The branch also works for checking the illegal constructions in area under LDA jurisdiction, issuance of Completion Certificates, process all requests for the conversion of residential properties into commercial use in the light of commercialisation policy, to process the cases regarding the issuance of NOC for installation of petrol pumps and construction of mosques in LDAs jurisdiction. It may be recalled that some months back, the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) arrested a Town Planning Branch senior clerk Muhammad Hussain, after catching him accepting a Rs 15,000 bribe. The LDA also suspended four officials on the charges of corruption and misconduct last year. The suspended officials include director Qazi Masood and deputy directors Shakeel Anjum and Muhammad Faheem and building inspector Shahid Nazir. It is pertinent to mention that Qazi Masood was appointed as town planner on the direction of District Nazim Amer Mehmood after the imposition of Governor Rule in Punjab. However, he was made OSD after the restoration of Shahbaz-led govt. In past, Justice Ramday admonished the LDA Town Planning Branch for approving the maps of the high-rising building against the law. He said Pakistan did not have the equipment needed to evacuate people trapped on the third floor and the LDA had approved the 36-floor building. He added that the LDA was granting building plans that were not in proportion with the roads and water, electricity and sewerage facilities. He said infrastructure should precede the construction of buildings. When contacted for comments the phone of the DG LDA was continuously powered off.