“The government has decided that Lahore Development Authority (LDA) land would be used for promotion of education,” Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday.
He said schools would be set up with the cooperation of the private sector over LDA land and admission quotas would be fixed for children from earning Rs20,000 per month and government servants of up to Grade 16. These children will be given admission on merit.
He was presiding over a meeting of the Lahore Development Authority.
The chief minister said the Water and Sanitation Agency would take over the system of supply and drainage in Lahore within three years under a phased programme. The meeting also granted approval to amendments in the building rules of LDA. Sharif said development authorities of other cities of the Punjab should also be run along the pattern of LDA.
He also granted approval to establishment of Construction Management Company, Ravi Zone Development Company and Lahore Water and Sanitation Company.
He also gave approval to regularisation of services of contractual employees of Lahore Development Authority and computerisation of public records.
He also announced a waiver of fines on the non-construction of houses on five-marla plots in LDA-controlled areas.
An approval in principle was also given to the project an elevated expressway from Gulberg to the motorway.
The chief minister rejected a proposal for raising charges for the use of water in private housing schemes under the administrative control of the Lahore Development Authority. He said the authority should provide better facilities before seeking an increase in charges.
Minister for Housing Tanvir Aslam, the housing secretary, the Local Government secretary, Planning and Development secretary and Lahore commissioner were also present.
The meeting decided to withdraw responsibility of building control and removal of encroachments from the LDA so that it could focus on development projects.
The meeting also decided to grant permission for temporary commercialisation conditional upon obtaining no objection certificates from the neighbours and payment of the annual fee.
Moreover, permission for construction of commercial buildings would be given according to the size of plot.
The meeting also decided to give permission for construction of four-storey buildings on residential plots. Earlier, only two-storey building could be constructed.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the files of plots in LDA schemes would be computerised under a phased programme.
He said digitalisation of land record of the LDA would reduce chances of fraud.
The chief minister issued instructions for early completion of the land record computerisation programme and granted approval for its budget.
He approved a proposal to make installation of solar LED lights in new plazas and housing schemes was compulsory.
He said a proper space should be allocated for car parking at new plazas so that traffic problems could be avoided.
The chief minister said the area around the Lahore Canal was very important and no commercial activity would be allowed there.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 19th, 2014.