LAHORE, April 10: The provincial housing department has abolished the offices of housing and town planning at the district level after the establishment of Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA), according to reliable sources.

In this regard, the Punjab housing secretary has issued an official order for ceasing the function of town planning in 34 district offices of the province. These offices were also approving maps of new buildings, the sources said.

The offices had been administered by the district government since devolution, an officer of the city government said.

He said that after the establishment of PHATA, the designation of district officer was replaced with regional director. The new agency would be directly controlled and supervized by the housing secretary.

The agency would form residential schemes for the homeless at the district level, an officer claimed.

He said that the outgoing officers had been directed to hand over all assets and official record to regional, sub-regional and district housing committees.-PPI