Ordeal of a shop owner in search of commercialisation

LAHORE : A common citizen trying to deal with Lahore Development Authority (LDA) by the book has wasted over four years in just getting the acknowledgment of the payments he had deposited to the authority for getting the commercialisation certificate of a small shop he owned at Link Road, Model Town.

The case of Muhammad Azam, a resident of Ejaz Park, Link Road, Model Town, has also exposed all the tall claims of LDA’s authorities about establishment of a swift and problem-free One Window Cell to deal with all kind of public complaints and issues. Muhammad Azam, who is running from pillar to post in LDA Complex since 2012, has also filed various applications to senior officials, including the LDA director general but so far he didn’t get any feedback. Talking with the scribe Azam said he purchased a shop on Model Town Link Road on 25th April, 1985, and on 8th December, 2012, he got a notice from LDA that he was using his shop without commercialisation.

“The very next day I filed an application to the LDA that commercialisation fee challan should be issued to me so that I can pay the fee,” he said, adding that on 24th October, 2014, he again got a notice from LDA that he had not got his property commercialised on which he resubmitted his application along with all related documents to the LDA and requested the officers to issue him a proper challan so that he could deposit the commercialisation fee in bank.

Then LDA inspector commercialisation wing on 16th December, 2014, asked him to immediately pay Rs100,000 to LDA; otherwise, his shop would be sealed on which he deposited two pay orders (AAA-11980585 and AAA-11980585) of Rs50,000 each. After two years on 1st September, 2016, the inspector again asked him to pay Rs300,000 in the name of LDA DG and he paid the amount through pay order (AAA-133391853) to get the commercialisation certificate.

“After paying the amount, I repeatedly contacted the LDA commercialisation wing to get the commercialisation certificate as well as acknowledgment of the payment,” he said, adding that on 5th September, 2016, he went to LDA office where the inspector concerned told him that file of his case had lost. The inspector asked him to come after some days and he will make a new file. Giving further details, Azam said that on 06th December, 2016, he got a letter from LDA instructing him to submit his property documents and on 24th December, 2016, he complied. On 10th January, 2017, he met Iftikhar, Assistant Director Commercialisation, who after checking his file directed the Patwari concerned to write his report, he said and maintained that Miss Saleha, Assistant Director Commercialisation wing told him that his case was sent to Director Commercialisation for final approval. However, just after four days when he contacted Assistant Director Iftikhar, he was told that his file was lost again, Azam said, adding the lost file was found on 6th April, 2017. Azam revealed that on 1st May, 2017, he filed an application (2434631) at LDA’s One Window Cell regarding commercialisation of his property but instead of getting any answer he recently got a notice from LDA that he had not left a 20 feet setback area so his property can’t be commercialised. “The total depth of my shop is 13 feet; so how can I left a 20 feet setback area. Secondly none of the shops situated on Model Town Link Road left setback area but no notice is issued to anyone else except me,” he said and requested the LDA DG to personally look into his case and resolve this issue. When contacted, Chief Town Planner Khalid Mehmood said he is busy and will call back when he was free. Director Commercialisation Iqbal Farid said he has directed his staff to immediately issue payment acknowledgment. He said an NOC will also issued soon.