LDA approves regulations to boost economic activities in four districts

LAHORE:For promoting business, commercial and other economic activities in the four districts of the Lahore division, the governing body of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has approved LDA Building and Zoning Regulations 2020.

These regulations provide guidelines to the entrepreneur in the districts of Lahore, Kasur, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib for starting new ventures in different zones with regard to use of land as per Lahore’s Master Plan.

These zones included residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and other zones. Criterion about the size of plot, width of roads and other standards for starting new business were also determined at this occasion.

The sixth meeting of the LDA governing body was held under the chairmanship of Vice Chairman SM Imran. Director General LDA Ahmed Aziz Tarar briefed the participants on the status of implementation of the decisions of the previous meeting. The governing body approved the revised PC-1 worth Rs 49.54 billion for LDA City phase One. This amount also included Rs 9.67 billion for compulsory acquisition of land required for acquiring balance patches of land in Jinnah Sector and construction of 200 feet wide Chenab Road for connecting phase one of the scheme with Ferozepur Road near Ring Road.

The first PC-1 of the scheme worth Rs 33.66 billion had been approved in July 2017, however, no funds could be allocated for land acquisition at that time.

In line with the direction of the prime minister for construction of 35,000 affordable housing units under LDA City Naya Pakistan Apartments, the governing body decided to invite technical and financial bids. The body directed for publishing notice in the newspapers for expression of interests by interested engineering firms.

The authority constituted a committee to evaluate the offers received in response to the advertisement.

Engineer Amir Riaz Qureshi, a member of the governing body, will be the convener of the committee while Chief Engineer LDA Habib-ul-Haq Randhawa will be the co-convener. The committee will also include Managing Director Wasa, Chief Engineer Tepa and experts from the University of Engineering. A pre-bid conference of aspiring firms will also be held for this purpose. The meeting entrusted the task for construction of infrastructure and other development works to the LDA Engineering Wing in the area earmarked for apartments.

Aslam Malik & Co, financial consultant appointed for the LDA City New Pakistan Apartments project, presented a financial model for making the construction of these apartments a viable project.

He informed about the facility of bridge financing by the national banks for those interested in buying apartments.

The governing body approved the proposal of negotiation committee for negotiations with the Chiniot Housing Society, situated on land of LDA Avenue One for providing plots to the 613 affectees of the scheme. Chiniot Housing Society will offer 1,555 kanals of land to the LDA in lieu of developed plots equal to 30 per cent of its land.

The decision will help solve the 17-year-old problem of allottees. The governing body also accepted offer by a philanthropist for bearing cost of construction of two mosques, one each in Jubilee Town and Avenue One. These mosques will be managed and maintained by the LDA, which will responsible for recurring expenditure including salaries of the staff as well as day-to-day expenses. These mosques will have nothing to do with any sect.