LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority claims that as many as 60,000 people have so far applied for the allotment of apartment/flat in the Ashiyana Iqbal Housing Scheme being launched on Burki Road in the metropolis.

“The scheme is being executed by the LDA after the chief minister ordered it to accomplish this task within the shortest span of time. A record number of applications (60,000) have so far been received by the Punjab Land Development Company,” an LDA spokesman claims in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

He said the Ashiyana Housing Scheme was the largest public welfare project in the history of Pakistan as thousands of flats would be constructed and allotted to the low-income families in the provinces.

A chunk of 3,100 kanal land, located in the vicinity of Lahore airport, DHA, Ring Road and Burki Road, has been allocated for construction of thousand of ground plus three-storey flats under the project.

The price of these flats will be recovered in easy and interest-free installments during a period of 10 years.

“The Punjab government will pay interest on behalf of allottees in order to facilitate the low-income group people for becoming owners of their own flats. Moreover, the amount to be paid by allottees as monthly installment will be less than the per month rent of their houses,” he said.

The spokesman said the government would construct a 150-foot wide road from Burki Road to the Ashiyana Iqbal besides constructing a trunk sewer up to Charrer Drain.

All utility services like electricity, water supply, sewerage, carpeted roads, schools, parks, commercial area and community centre would be provided for residents of these flats.

Flats would be allotted very soon through a transparent ballot, he said.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2015

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