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Friday March 29, 2024

LDA one-window cell visitors flout Covid-19 SOPs

By Ali Raza
June 02, 2020

LAHORE: One-window Cell of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) may become a Corona hotspot in the provincial metropolis because the visitors there are seen violating SOPs.

It was witnessed on Monday that despite directives of taking advance appointments, a large number of citizens reached the centre for various works without appointments and gathered outside the centre where no SOP of social distancing was followed.

Rush of people outside the cell also attracted other visitors who came close to know what’s going on and why so much people were standing at the gate. Many citizens were also seen quarrelling with security guards as well as with the staff of the one-window cell for getting in.

A complainant inside the cell said that he missed his Saturday’s appointment so he came on Monday but the LDA staff was not treating his application for transfer of property. He added that his father was on death bed and it is must for him to process the case of transfer of property but no one here was entertaining him in this state of emergency.

Another complainant said that he came on his time, went inside the cell but unfortunately his turn was given to some influential and the man on counter # 19 told him to wait. “Now I am waiting for one and a half hour for my turn,” he said adding he also complained this issue to Deputy Director but he refused to take any action and directed him to sit silently.

Another complainant said that he came to submit his file relating to CMP Wing but one window staff told him that no case of CMP was being processed. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan had opened the construction industry but LDA was not acting on the PM’s instructions.

“If land cases are not processed then how construction will begin at the sites,” he maintained. Sources inside one window cell said that pending cases of different wings especially Town Planning wing are increasing every day.

However, when asked, Deputy Director refused to give data about pending cases. Additional Director General (Housing) who is incharge of one window cell also visited the cell on Monday and witnessed rush of people.

Talking with the scribe, he said one applicant brought two to three people with him, which was the main cause of rush. Besides, citizens are also coming without appointments whereas LDA had clearly mentioned this on its website as well as office entrances that public dealing was closed down without appointments, he added. “Citizens should also have to display sensibility to save themselves from Corona,” he said adding that LDA would soon open more counters to cater the citizens.