LAHORE    -   The Lahore Development Authority’s governing body at a meeting approved LDA Buildings and Zone Regulations 2019, which will encourage construction of high-rise structures.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Imran Khan has already given the task to bureaucracy to make progress on construction of high-rise structures to stop expansion of cities and save agriculture land.

The LDA governing body has approved the new regulations for the construction of high-rises in city.

In a surprise move, the governing body yet again approved the ‘LDA Master Plan 2040’. Recently, former LDA DG Amna Imran Khan had started work on the Master Plan 2040 and a number of sessions were held, including informal survey, to seek proposals from builders, traders and citizens. Now a 10-member team has been made to appoint a consultant for the purpose of Master Plan 2040. The team will be headed by Chief Metropolitan Planner Syed Nadeem Akhter Zaidi.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said a few days ago the “Punjab government has begun work on the Lahore Master Plan. The PTI government has been working on the Lahore Master Plan for last one year”.

It was decided to set up a technology zone on 118 kanals of agriculture land located at former Kot Lakhpat Market and a formal go ahead has been given to make further way for establishing a technology zone in consultation with the Punjab Information and Technology Board.

It has been decided that from now onwards public interest spaces in LDA housing schemes would be given on open bidding basis to ensure transparency in LDA. According to a LDA official, the LDA governing body decided to lease the LDA properties for the duration of one to ten years and to ensure transparency, all agreements would be given through open bidding process.

A source says that advanced rent would be collected from lease holders and yearly 10 percent increase would be made.

Other important decision taken in the governing body meeting were, Town Administration will be empowered to allocate area for graveyards and a no-objection certificate from a district mosque committee would be mandatory to allot any plot for a new mosque.

LDA Vice Chairman SM Imran chaired the meeting where MPA Sadia Suhail Rana, Malik Mukhtar Ahmed, Sheikh Imtiaz Mehmood and Wasa MD Syed Zahid Aziz were present.

Separately, the LDA Directorate of State Management, Directorate of Private Housing Schemes and Town Planning and Enforcement Unit on Saturday demolished an under-construction illegal commercial market in the Pak-Arab Society.