151 marriage halls, marquees in Lahore illegal

LAHORE :One-hundred-and-fifty-one unapproved marriage halls and marquees are openly operating in the city and the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) is yet to take action against them. 

According to figures collected from LDA, 151 marriage halls are unapproved, and only nine marriage halls and marquees have been constructed as per LDA’s rules and regulations and duly approved by the authority. Marriage halls and marquees in cantonment area, private housing societies and city/town government jurisdictions are not included in the above mentioned figures.

Some months back the LDA had launched a crackdown on the marriage halls for violating building bylaws, but suddenly the action was stopped and the marriage halls and marquees started using main roads, side lanes and greenbelts for parking, causing traffic jams and inconvenience for the citizens.

As per LDA building rules and regulations minimum land required for setting up a marquee is eight kanals of land whereas at least four kanals of land is necessary for constructing a marriage hall with two kanals of land to be left vacant for parking vehicles. But none of the marriage halls/marquees fulfills these conditions.

A senior LDA said official that the authority during the operation had sealed over 150 marriage halls, but their owners got de-sealing orders from local courts.  However, this raises a big question mark over the performance of the LDA’s big legal wing, which has many top lawyers.

A visit to different city localities reveals that these marriage halls are violating building bylaws by not providing parking lots to their customers, which is causing traffic jams on roads, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays.  It is learnt that many marriage halls are using their parking lots and basements to earn revenues at the cost of citizens. 

Several areas where one can witness traffic jams due to parking of vehicles of these marriage halls are 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, Tajbagh, Mughalpura, Canal Bank Road, main boulevard Johar Town and etc.

LDA officials claimed the marriage halls/marquees were sealed as they were constructed in violation of building bylaws and their building plans had not been approved by LDA. They further claimed the owners illegally set up these halls after getting approved plans for constructing residences or office buildings at the site.

LDA’s Town Planning wing is supposed to monitor construction of buildings as well as enforcement of building bylaws in LDA’s jurisdiction but unfortunately no action was taken against any marriage hall during the construction period. Town Planning wing of LDA checks every ongoing construction. 

LDA’s plea that owners of the sealed halls/marquees didn’t get building plans approved by LDA and owners had illegally set up these ventures after getting approved plans for constructing residences or office buildings at site can be proved wrong as Town Planning wing gives completion certificate to every building.

LDA’s Chief Town Planner Khalid Mehmood said LDA has devised a new strategy to handle this issue. He said a crackdown is underway, but he refused to give any further details about the crackdown. He advised the citizens to check the legal status of a marriage hall/marquee from LDA before confirming booking of a function so that they could not face any trouble.

According to the LDA record the following marriage halls and marquees are unapproved: Lahore Castle (334 D I, NESPAK), Heaven (343 D I, NESPAK), Prime Marque (348 D I, NESPAK), Shesh Mahal (333 D I, NESPAK), Nolakha (339 D I, NESPAK), Maryam Palace (Upper Mall, Canal Road), Rose Marriage Hall (Lal Pull, Canal Road), See View Marriage Hall (Taj Pura, Canal Road), Blessing Marriage Hall (Naya Pull, Canal Road), Mehal Marriage Hall (Naya Pull, Canal Road), Saleem Marriage Hall (Taj Pura, Canal Road), Sareena Marriage Hall (Taj Pura, Canal Road), Crystal Marriage Hall (Taj Pura, Canal Road), Shalimar Marriage Garden (Taj Pura, Canal Road), Shahi Mehal Marriage Hall (Taj Pura, Canal Road), Mian Munsif Marriage Hall (Canal Road), Saud Banquent Hall (Harbanspura, Canal Road), Shalimar Cassel (Harbanspura, Canal Road), Grand Hall (Harbanspura, Canal Road), Janat Marriage Hall (Near University of Gujrat, Canal Road), Qasar i Shahi Marriage Hall (Near University of Gujrat, Canal Road), Paradize Marriage Hall (Near International School, Canal Road), Mian Hammid Palace (Near International School, Canal Road), Muskan Marriage Hall (Near International School, Canal Road), Taj Palace Event Complex (Near Ring Road Interchange, Canal Road), Gulwastan i Wasa Marriage Hall (Near Jalo More, Canal Road), Al Makki Marriage Hall (Near Jalo More, Canal Road), Shah Din Marriage Hall (Near Jalo More, Canal Road), Qasar i Maryam Marriage Hall (Near Jalo More, Canal Road), Dream Marriage Hall (Near Jalo More, Canal Road), Awam Palace Marqui (Harbanspura, Canal Road), Bin Daud Palace (Harbanspura, Canal Road), New Jewan Marriae Hall (Sehafi Colony Canal Road), Madina Marqui (Near Ring Road Interchange, Canal Road), 3 Star Marriage Hall (Near Ring Road Interchange, Canal Road), Paalki Banquet Hall (Near Ring Road Interchange, Canal Road), Bahoo Open Marriae Hall (Kahna Nau Ferozepur Road), Husnain Open Marriage Hall (Kahna Nau Ferozepur Road), J.S.Marriage Hall (Kahna Nau Near Sindh Bank, Ferozepur Road), Sajid Banquet Hall (Kartaba Chowk, Ferozepur Road), Shama Marriage Hall (Shama Chowk, Ferozepur Road), Suraj Marriage Hall (Attari, Ferozepur Road), Star Gate Marriage Hall (Attari, Ferozepur Road), Aiwan i Akbari Hall (Attari, Ferozepur Road), Gull Marriage Hall (Attari Ferozepur Road), Kasar i Ameer (Mouza Chandrai, Ferozepur Road), Ummar Marriage Hall (Mouza Chandrai, Ferozepur Road), Anam Marriage Hall (Mouza Chandrai, Ferozepur Road), Arooj Marriage Hall (Mouza Chandrai, Ferozepur Road), Silk Marriage Hall (Mouza Chandrai, Ferozepur Road), Noor Mehal Marriage Hall (Mouza Chandrai, Ferozepur Road), Open Marriage Hall (Mouza Chandrai, Ferozepur Road), Galaxy Marriage Hall (Ferozepur Road), Naqshbandi Marriage Hall (Ferozepur Road), Mahi Open Marriage Hall (Ferozepur Road), Asra Marriage Hall (Ferozepur Road), Taj Mehal Event Complex (Kahna Flyover Defence Road), Mawra Marui (Near Khiaban i Amin, Defence Road), The Wall Room (Near Khiaban i Amin, Defence Road), Taj Mahal (9 Abubakar Block, New Garden Town), Prince Marriage Hall (9/A+9/B Abubakar Block, New Garden Town), New Prince Hall (11 Abubakar Block New Garden Town), Noor Jahan (11 Aaibak Block New Garden Town), Gracious (26 Ali Block New Garden Town), Mughal E Azam (10 Aaibak Block New Garden Town), Le Grand (12 Babar Block New Garden Town), Sapphire (9 Babar Block New Garden Town), Zauj (16 Aurangzaib Block New Garden Town), Gourment Marquee (10/A Shadman), Al Janat Marriage Hall (27 B/II Quaid e Azam Town), Al Quresh Banquet Hall (4+5 B/II Quaid e Azam Town), Zafar Marriage Hall (8 I B/II Quaid e Azam Town), Suhaq Marriage Lawn (9 I B/II Quaid e Azam Town), Ahmed Banquet Hall (36 2C/I Quaid e Azam Town), Hamza Banquet Hall (35 2 C/I Quaid e Azam Town), Arrosh Marriage Hall (533 15 B/I Quaid e Azam Town), Gourment Marquee (43 10 B/II Quaid e Azam Town), Mahraja Banquet Hall (38 A/I Peco Road), Al Noor Marriage Hall (37 A/I Peco Road), Le Grand (14 A/I Peco Road), Mian Banquet Hall (510 Peco Road), Shahi Hut (282 2 C/I Quaid e Azam Town), Prime Banquet Hall (283 2 C/I Quaid e Azam Town), Oaksdale (288 2 C/I Quaid e Azam Town), Noor Fort (28 2 C/II Quaid e Azam Town), Alhamra Banquet Hall (31 2 C/II Quaid e Azam Town), Heritage Complex (25 Civic Center Quaid e Azam Town), Qasar e Saeed (12+13 Mamdot Block Mustafa Town), Subhan Marriage Hall (28+29 Civic Centre, Mustafa Town), Merry Land Banquet Hall (7 Chenab Block Allama Iqbal Town), Wedding Fort (Wahdat Road), Open Marriage Lawn (289 Khyber Block Allama Iqbal Town), Marriage Hall (236 Badar Block Allama Iqbal Town), Marriage Hutt (431 Pak block Allama Iqbal Town), Amna Marriage Hall (Civic Center Allama Iqbal Town), King Marriage Hall (14 Civic Center Allama Iqbal Town), Nayab Marriage Lawn (49+50 Commercial Market, Kareem Block Allama Iqbal Town), Topaz (264+265 R/II Johar Town), SeaShell (5,6 D/I Johar Town), Kasr-e-Jamal (9 C Johar Town), Royal Castle (8 C Johar Town), Al Janat Fort (228+229 C Johar Town), Celebretions (43 B III Johar Town), Canal Orchad (74 G II Johar Town), Johar Event Complex (31 32 E Johar Town), Firdous Bareen (3 Campus Colony Johar Town), Marwa Shadi Hall (2 Civic Center Johar Town), Bleesing Hall (9 Civic Center Johar Town), Awan e Noor (11 Civic Center Johar Town), Eastern Marque (210   Wafaqi Colony), Goument Marqee (31 K Gulberg), Mezban Marquee (91 B Gulberg), Gourment Marquee (14 A Gulberg), Qasar E Noor (8 E/II Gulberg), Qasar E Zauq (1 E/III Gulberg), Gourment Empress Marquee (41 B/II Gulberg), Koh E Noor (1 C/III Gulberg), Nadeem Marquee (B/II Gulberg), Gourment (60 C/II Gulberg), Chalet Banquet Hall (6 L Gulberg), Chandani Hall (43 N Gulberg), Zafar Banquet Hall (56 N Gulberg), Deewan e Akbar (Canal Road), PC Marquee (Raiwind Road), TOPAZ Marriage Hall (Jubilee Town), Marriage Hutt (144 Gul e Daman), Bimian Marriage Hall (Canal Road near Westwood), Arrange Marriage Hall (Canal Road Muhafiz Town), Grand Marquee (Superior Housing Society Raiwind Road), Grand Orchard (Raiwind Road near LDA Avenue), Impreial Marriage Hall (Thokar Niaz Baig), Heaven Marquee (Lake City), Shahi Darbar (665  N, Samanabad), Al Hamad Marriage Hall (462 D Sabzazar), Munir Marriage Hall (128 B Sabzazar), Al Rehman Marriage Hall (568 G Sabzazar), Al Kareem Marquee (16+17 Civic Center Sabzazar), VIP Banquet Hall (9 Civic Center Sabzazar), Al Hamad Marriage Hall (41 Civic Center Sabzazar), Malhar Shadi Hall (2 A Civic Center Gulshan Ravi), Shehnai Banquet Hall (1 C Gulshan Ravi), Milan Shadi Hall (38+39+40+41 Civic Center Gulshan Ravi), Four Seasons (Lalazar Raiwind Road), Lahore Marine (Raiwind Road), Kawasa Mnto (Raiwind Road), Shah Farid Marriage Hall (68 B Sabzazar), Mariam Marriage Hall (7 B Sabzazar), Abroo Marriage Hall (3 A Sabzazar), Shah Jahan Marriage Hall (89 B Sabzazar), Ahmad Castle Marriage Hall (1401 P Sabzazar) and Blessing Marriage Hall (39 C Sabzazar).

As per LDA record, the approved marriage halls/marquees are: Mughal E Azam Fort (New Garden Town), Crimson Event Complex (New Garden Town), LDA Community Center (Muslim Town), Dynasty Event Complex (Johar Town), Empire Marque (Johar Town), Topaz Marque (Johar Town), Royal Marque (Johar Town), Liberty Castle (Gulberg) and Land Breeze Marquee (Raiwand Road).   

When contacted, LDA DG said the LDA had sealed all illegal marriage halls/marquees, but they were opened on court orders. He said the LDA is computing data about legal status of court cases after which appropriate action will be launched again.