LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif approved on Friday the establishment of three companies namely Construction Management Company, Ravi Zone Development Company and Lahore Water and Sanitation Company.

He also approved regularization of services of contract employees of the Lahore Development Authority, computerisation of entire files’ record, and announced waiving off fine on the people who failed to construct houses on five-marla plots within the stipulated period.

Presiding over a meeting of the LDA governing body as chairman, the chief minister also approved launching of the elevated expressway project from Gulberg to Motorway.

Rejecting the proposal for increasing charges on use of water in private housing schemes under the administrative control of LDA, he directed officials of departments concerned to first provide better services to citizens.

He said the computerisation of the LDA land record would facilitate citizens and eliminate forgery.

The chief minister issued instructions for the early completion of land record computerisation programme and granted approval to its budget.

He also directed to withdraw the responsibility of building control and removal of encroachments from the LDA so that it could concentrate only on development projects.

Mr Shahbaz said abolishment of fine on non-construction of houses within the stipulated period over plots of five marlas would provide relief to the low-income people.

He said the installation of solar LED lights in new plazas and housing schemes had been made compulsory and the decision should be implemented in letter and spirit.

He said a proper space should be allocated for car parking in new plazas to avoid traffic problems.

The meeting also decided to grant permission for temporary commercialization, however, the no objection certificate from neighbors and payment of annual fee will be necessary.

The permission for the construction of commercial buildings will be given according to the size of plot. The meeting also decided to give permission for the construction of a four-storey building on residential plots. Earlier, only a two-storey building could be constructed.

The chief minister said the beauty around the Lahore canal area would be preserved and no commercial activity would be allowed there.

He said the LDA land would be used to implement the government policy of promoting education.

He said that schools would be set up on the LDA land with the cooperation of the private sector and the quota would be fixed for the children of parents earning up to Rs20,000 per month and government servants of up to Grade 16.

He said the Water and Sanitation Company would take over the system of supply and drainage in Lahore within three years under a phased programme.

The meeting also granted approval to amendments in the building rules of the LDA.

The chief minister directed that development authorities of other big cities of Punjab should also be run on the pattern of LDA and the minister and secretary of Housing and Public Health Engineering Department should make planning in this regard.

Provincial Minister for Housing Tanvir Aslam, secretaries of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Development and the Lahore Commissioner were also present.