LAHORE – The Governing Body of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) on Thursday approved budget for the fiscal year 2012-13 with an outlay of Rs39.98 billion, while a Rs31.66 billion have been earmarked for development projects in LDA-controlled areas of the City.
The huge budgetary amount will benefit only those areas of the City that are already developed because the LDA has again ignored the less-developed areas by allocating very little funds to them.
The authority did not allocate any funds for proposed projects in southern parts of the City, where the director general had announced some low-cost projects of overhead bridges and under passes at important intersections and business areas. The authority also failed to allocate special funds for the annual and scheduled desilting of the City’s drains.
Sources in LDA said the provincial government would also provide funds to the LDA to complete the ongoing development projects before the upcoming general elections, likely to be held by the end of current year or in the first quarter of the next year.
The total resources of the LDA (Urban Development Wing) during the fiscal year 2012-13 have been estimated at Rs11.90 billion against the expected expenditure of Rs11.243 billion. This amount will also include development expenditure of Rs8.9 billion.
A total of Rs2.50 billion will be spent on Lahore Roads Rehabilitation Programme (LRRP), including construction of new roads at a cost of Rs1.1 billion, while the remaining Rs1.30 billion will be spent on the ongoing roads schemes.
The new roads to be constructed under this programme include a road from E-block to Doctors Hospital, under high-tension line, in Johar Town. This road will be built at a cost of Rs250 million. Another new road along Khamba Distributory, from Nursery Chowk to Southern By-Pass, Johar Town, will be constructed at a cost of Rs150 million.
Construction of road from Neelam Block, Awan Chowk, to Multan Road along Kharak drain in Allama Iqbal Town will cost Rs142 million.
The LDA will also spend Rs1.50 billion on the development of necessary infrastructure in housing schemes for government employees, LDA Avenue-1. The amount will be spent on the construction of roads, provision of electricity and water supply in the area.
It will also spend Rs550 million on the development of Trade and Finance Centre in Johar Town, Lahore. Construction of Al-Madina Road from Maulana shoukat Ali Road to Barkat Chowk will cost Rs92.8 million.
An amount of Rs350 million has been reserved for priority works in the new budget. The LDA will incur an expenditure of Rs170 million on construction of sports complex at Block D-2, Johar Town. Construction of Community centre at Garden Town will cost Rs183 million. The construction of pedestrian bridges at Model Bazar Gujjar Pura will cost Rs30 million to the LDA during the new fiscal year. An amount of Rs500 million will be spent for construction of a car parking plaza at Moon Market, Allama Iqbal Town. The LDA will also spend an amount of Rs462.7 million on routine maintenance and improvement of roads in the already-completed housing schemes.
The Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) is excepting total receipts of Rs5.12 billion in the financial year 2012-13, while it will spend Rs8.34 billion, including Rs1.14 billion on development schemes. Improvement / Rehabilitation of existing drainage system at Multan Road will cost of Rs250million.
The establishment of the Punjab Water Sanitation Academy, Lahore, will cost of Rs55 million. Covering of Cantt Drain passing through the Punjab Institute of Cardiology will cost Rs53 million. Provision of water supply, sewerage and drainage system for UCs 117, 118, 119 and 120 will cost Rs50 million.
Replacement of outlived, deeper and inundated water supply lines in Lahore (Gastro Project Phase-II) will cost Rs50 million. Block allocation for initiation of Waste Water Treatment Plant Project in the City will cost Rs50 million. Work on ongoing schemes will cost Rs313.365 million. Restoration of Original Cross Section (40-feet) of Satu Katla Drain from Ferozepur Road to PECO Road will cost Rs100 million. Lahore Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Improvement Project (JICA-assisted) will cost Rs75 million.
TEPA has a total of Rs22.95 billion at its disposal whereas its expenditure has been estimated as Rs21.92 billion including development works costing Rs21.62 billion. Execution of Bus Rapid Transit System for Lahore will cost Rs19.865 billion. Construction of underpass at Railway Level at MS Ali Road, Lahore will cost Rs249.096 million. Improvement of Moulana Shoukat Ali Road from Canal to Ferozepur Road via PECO Road will cost Rs75.039 million.
Construction of Structure Road from Khayaban-e Jinnah to Valencia Town Lahore (Phase-I) will cost Rs68.773 million. Maintenance / Repair / Rehabilitation / Installation and upgrading traffic signals in Lahore will cost of Rs56.7 million.
LDA Vice Chairman Aamir Asgher Dar chaired the budget meeting, which was also attended by Director General Ahad Khan Cheema, WASA Managing Director Mian Abdullah, LDA Additional Director General Maryam Kiayani, TEPA Chief Engineer Saeed Akhter, LDA Chief Engineer Asrar Saeed, LDA Director Finance Zaheer Asghar Rana, TEPA Admn and Finance Director Aftab Majeed and representatives of the provincial local government, housing, P&D and finance departments, besides administrators of the nine constituent towns of the City District, Lahore.