LAHORE, May 11: The residents of 23 kutcha abadis in Lahore will be awarded ownership rights by the chief minister within a couple of months.

A list of these localities was finalized at a meeting of the Board of Revenue here on Saturday. Minister for Revenue Gul Hameed Rokhari presided.

The people occupying commercial areas in the localities would be required to pay according to the market rate prevalent in 1985.

The localities are Maqbra Mor Shahdara, Abbasnagar north and south, Mianmir Colony, Janki Devi, Badar Colony, Qalanderpura, Dinpur Kothay, Bhekhewal, Kutcha Mason Road, Arachanan Din, New Gopalnagar, Kutcha abadi Bhabra Mustafabad, Saint Mary Colony, Teh Zaildaran Ichhra, Dhana Singhwala, Nusrat Colony, Mujahid Colony, Gujjarpura, Shuja Colony, Almadad Colony, Sukh Nehr and Iqbal Park Begumpura.

The meeting also decided that residents of the localities that were established on the land owned by Auqaf department would be offered 99-year lease.

The meeting was informed that railway authorities had agreed to issue NOCs for the kutcha abadis on its land that were 100 feet away from the rail track.

The district government has already promised to undertake development works in the localities.