LDA strips 18 main roads of commercial status

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has finally banned temporary/annual commercialisation on 18 major city roads and people are told to wind up their businesses till June 30, 2018, and revert their premises to original building plans in compliance with LDA law.

These 18 roads have commercial businesses worth billions of rupees with major local and multinational companies. A strong reaction from the traders is expected in coming days, sources said, adding permanent commercialisation on these roads was already banned.

Commenting on massive alteration/demolition consequent, to this ban, LDA DG Zahid said even under temporary commercialisation the owners were not allowed to alter original building design, but in majority of cases this rule was violated. This step has been taken to cope with the problems associated with increasing commercialisation, he said, adding the LDA will not accept any pressure to withdraw its decision.

The 18 major roads include Tollinton Market Road (LOS Chowk to Jail Road Junction), Zafar Ali Road (Gulberg V), Campus Bridge Road, Garden Town (Canal Bridge to Y Junction), Shah Jillani Road (College Road Township till Hamdard Jail Road), Khayaban-e-Jinnah (Shaukat Khanum to Raiwind Road), Canal Bank Road (from district boundary Wagah to Thokar Niaz Baig), Canal Bank Road (from Thokar Niaz Baig to District Boundary), Main Boulevard, Sabzazar Scheme (Fawara Chowk Multan Road to Liaquat Chowk and Liaquat Chowk to Multan Road), Link Raiwind Road (Raiwind Road to Aitchison College Gate), Main Boulevard Johar Town/Khayaban-e-Firdousi (Maulana Shaukat Ali Road to Shaukat Khanum Hospital), Bypass Road Johar Town (Canal to Wapda Town roundabout), Wahdat Road (Naksha Stop plot 70 Block C New Muslim Town to Multan Road Chungi), Qazi Essa Road (Faisal Town), Raiwind Road (Thokar Niaz Baig to Defence Road Manu Chowk), Abu-ul-Hasan Isfahani Road (Faisal Town roundabout to Akbar Chowk except property no 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 Block B Faisal Town), Maulana Shaukat Ali Road (Segment 2 starting from Model Town Link Road and ending at junction up to Railway crossing), Hamdard Jail Road (from Pindi Stop to Plot no 1222-5-D1) and Defence Road (Multan Road to Raiwind Road). Temporary and permanent commercialisation was allowed in past and recent past on the above mentioned roads despite the fact these roads were declared frozen for any kind of change in land use, LDA sources said, adding LDA had allowed temporary commercialisation on frozen roads whenever it needed money and all future implications were ignored at that time.

Under ongoing open temporary commercialisation policy of LDA, one can get any property commercial after getting NOCs from the neighbours and paying heavy fees to the authority. This resulted in extraordinary increase in value of land/properties, sources said, adding LDA designated commercial areas in its schemes are ignored and laying vacant.

To a question that the election is just round the corner and LDA may face political interference in implementation of this decision, the DG said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has given a free hand to LDA for making and implementing policies. He said LDA wants to end temporary commercialisation policy and to achieve this goal LDA will soon suggest amendments to related laws.

Talking about a possible reaction from the business community, the DG said no one is above the law. He said temporary commercialisation didn’t mean that the said property is declared commercial on a permanent basis. “Temporary is always temporary and LDA has rights to revise/change this policy,” the DG concluded.

On the other hand, traders and business community strongly criticised the decision and said they will go to every extent to get the decision reverted. They said billions of rupees had already been spent on establishment of business outlets, restaurants, marriage halls, marquees and etc. on these main roads while hundreds of thousands of workers and their families are associated with these businesses.