December 14, 2006	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 22, 1427

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LAHORE, Dec 13: As a first step towards implementing building by-laws, Local Government Minister Raja Basharat on Wednesday ordered registration of corruption cases against LDA planners of Gulberg Town for their alleged connivance in the illegal construction of 10 plazas and business centres in the area.

Presiding over a meeting about the illegal construction in Gulberg Town here in the Civil Secretariat, he also ordered action against the owners of these buildings for violating the by-laws.

Local Government Secretary Akhlaq Tarar, Gulberg Town Nazim Fraz Chaudhry and LDA officials attended the meeting.

Fraz Chaudhry reportedly said he had informed LDA authorities about the illegal construction but no remedial measures were taken..

Official sources said similar action against town planners in other towns would also be taken if any illegal construction was found there.

They said some other agencies too were taking notice of the illegal construction of commercial centres and plazas in Lahore, and a more strict action was expected against the government officials who had allowed them instead of performing their preventive duty, and the owners.

The minister ordered that cases of all town planners of Gulberg Town should be sent to the Anti-corruption Establishment for action because all the illegal construction could not have been possible without their connivance. The plazas and business centres would either be sealed or demolished or their owners would be slapped heavy fines, the sources said.

They said the illegal constructions were exposed in a city survey ordered by the minister, who decided to hold separate meetings with regard to every town to fix responsibility and to adopt corrective measures.

The officials said the government was also mulling a ban on temporary commercialisation of residential areas because development authorities were using this power to allow the facility on permanent basis, which, they said, was creating a number of problems for the government.

The 10 illegal business centres include Al-Khan Arcade, Lewis Store, Hassan Centre, Deans Marriage Hall, Liberty Castle, Beds and Baths, Dr Karamee Shops and three commercial plazas.

According to an official list provided to Dawn, Levi’s Store has been constructed against approval of residential building plan and without permanent commercialisation. Requisite mandatory spaces and parking requirements have also not been provided in the building. Mandatory set back towards M M Alam Road has also not been provided due to which the area often faces traffic problems.

The officials said the owners first built a wall around the plot of land, and then secretly constructed the business center, instead of a house, with the alleged connivance of the town planner concerned whose job was to ensure enforcement of the approved building plan and by-laws.

Meanwhile, four additional floors have been added to Gulberg Main Boulevard’s Hasan Centre without approval, resulting in shortage of parking and other mandatory spaces in the building.

The Dean’s Marriage Hall at Gulberg’s Hussain Chowk has also been built without approval of the building plan and proper provision of parking arrangements.

Liberty Castle in Gulberg-III is a marriage hall whereas the LDA had allowed construction of a restaurant there. Its rear-open space was meant for car parking, but it is being used for marriage functions, which has reduced parking space. A temporary shed has also been constructed at its third floor without approval.

Dr Karamee Shops and Beds and Bath (shops) of Gulberg’s Hussain Chowk have been constructed against residential approval. There was no approval of the commercial plan, parking arrangements and mandatory space.

Similarly, Khan Arcade, situated in Gulberg’s Firdous Market, according to the government charge, has been built without approval of the commercial building plan and commercialisation. No mandatory space and parking arrangements have been provided in the building, while a ramp has been built which blocks traffic.

The commercial plaza adjacent to the old PRTC Depot, New Garden Town, is also illegal. In this case, permission was given only for basement floor level construction, whereas the owners have built five storeys. There is also no provision of parking in the building.

The five-storey plaza in Nasirabad, Main Ferozepur Road, has also been constructed without approval of the building plan from LDA. The construction has been carried out without proper structural design and strength, and there is no parking or other mandatory spaces.

A four-storey commercial plaza in Gulberg-III too has been constructed against the residential approval. It is also without parking provision and mandatory spaces.