June 05, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 30, 1429

LAHORE, June 4: The Lahore Development Authority demolished on Wednesday three plazas and 20 shops while retrieved four plots from illegal occupants in Johar Town and its adjoining private housing schemes.

The staff of LDA’s Town Planning Directorate demolished two plazas that were being constructed on plots reserved for residential purposes in PIA Housing Scheme.

Another multi-storey building was also razed for it was being raised for commercial purposes on a plot on Kheyaban-i-Jinnah that is in the controlled area of LDA.

In Johar Town, 20 shops and other buildings illegally constructed on plot numbers 269 R-2, 271 R-2, 908 R-1, 898 R-1, 889 R-2, 881 R-1, 60-R, 52-R, 47-R, 16-R and 587-Q Block were also demolished.

Installation of an antenna of a cellular phone company, being illegally erected at 95-Sher Shah Block of Garden Town, was also stopped.

The staff of the Estate Management Directorate retrieved four plots from illegal occupants during an anti-encroachments operation in Johar Town.

Illegal occupants were raising structures on plot number 340 R-2 and 342 R-2. The staff also foiled attempt of encroachers for re-occupying another two plots that had been retrieved in an earlier operation by demolishing the buildings being illegally constructed there.

ENCROACHMENTS: The LDA staff demolished nine temporary shops and two restaurant buildings during the second day of anti-encroachment operation in Sabzazar on Wednesday.

LDA’s Estate Management Directorate has maintained that the anti-encroachment operation was aimed at restoring service lanes, footpaths and greenbelts in Sabzazar with a view to eliminating hurdles in smooth flow of traffic and facilitating movement of pedestrians.

The operation would be continued till complete removal of illegal structures from the area.

Meanwhile, residents of the area have welcomed the operation and their elected representatives have assured the LDA staffers of their all-out cooperation for making the drive a success.