‘Unofficial’ relaxation leads to violation of building by-laws

LDA spokesman claims over 150 marriage halls, marquees sealed; owners
illegally set them up after approved plans for residences or office buildings

LAHORE

Giving “unofficial” relaxation to private builders during construction of commercial buildings, especially marriage halls and marquees, has become a norm in Lahore Development Authority (LDA), which results in serious violation of building by-laws and inconvenience to citizens.

One can witness ongoing construction of different commercial buildings, marriage halls and marquees in various city localities against LDA’s building by-laws. Township, Johar Town and adjacent localities are witnessing a boom in construction of marriage halls and marquees, which are mostly being constructed in 10 marla and one kanal residential plots, without parking lots.

As per LDA’s rules and regulations, the minimum land required for setting up a marquee is eight kanals whereas at least four kanals land is necessary for constructing a marriage hall with two kanals to be designated for a parking lot. Enforcing LDA’s building by-laws is the job of its town planning wing but in majority of cases officials of the wing do not take any action against big builders during the construction period. However, there are also examples of ruthless department action ranging from sealing of property and demolition against citizens especially those belonging to low income groups on the same pretext.

The town planning wing of LDA is supposed to monitor construction of buildings as well as enforcement of building by-laws in its jurisdiction but unfortunately no action is taken against any marriage hall during the construction period. The town planning wing of LDA checks every ongoing construction, first before shuttering and lintel, then after it and finally after completion of a building. A majority of marriage halls and marquees do not fulfill LDA’s conditions. Recently, LDA launched a very aggressive campaign against marriage halls for violating building by-laws and almost 150 halls and marquees were sealed. However, all of them later got stay orders from courts and LDA didn’t contest them or tried to vacate the orders.

A senior official in LDA revealed that recently many marriage halls and marquees were constructed in different blocks of Township while many were under construction in other blocks of Johar Town, Township and adjoining localities with the alleged patronage of the staff of the town planning wing.

The scribe also pointed out construction of a marquee in one kanal plot near Sadiq Chowk, Township, to the LDA’s Director Town Planning Nadeem Zaidi, to which he said he would take action. To a question that why construction of the marquee in violation of the rules and regulations was allowed, he said he would look into the matter.

LDA’s spokesman said a team had already visited the site and served a notice on the builder. He said the structure would be demolished soon. He said that staff of the town planning wing of LDA had sealed three properties and demolished another in Township during its ongoing operation against illegal constructions. Sealed properties include an old shop and ground floors at plot No. 370, 371, Block 6/C2 and 478-4/C2. Meanwhile, illegally constructed pillars, at plot No 160 Main PECO Road, were also demolished.

Construction of commercial buildings especially marriage halls and marquees in violation of building by-laws results in traffic jams in various city localities, including Main Boulevard Garden Town, Gulshan-e-Ravi, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Mehmood Ali Kasuri Road, Guru Mangat Road, College Road, Township, Allama Iqbal Road, Chowk Nakhuda, Main Boulevard Samanabad, Sher Shah Road, Ferozpur Road, Taj Bagh, Mughalpura, Canal Bank Road and Main Boulevard Johar Town.

The LDA spokesman claimed the authority had sealed over 150 marriage halls and marquees which were constructed in violation of building by-laws. He said the owners had illegally set them up after getting approved plans for constructing residences or office buildings at the sites.

Residents of various localities have urged Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to immediately take action against officials who are involved in patronising construction of commercial buildings, marriage halls and marquees against the rules and regulations.