LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority has decided to stop temporary or permanent commercialisation of the Wapda Town main boulevard after its town planning wing received applications from residents individually and jointly.

Wapda Town is a posh locality situated at southern area of Lahore, linking Khayaban-i-Jinnah, Johar Town, Valencia Town, Tariq Garden and NFC Society (phase-1).

The existing main boulevard of the scheme is a four-lane road (two on each side) having a dedicated rainwater drain besides a small greenbelt area.

Since the road had no service lanes on both sides, the increasing commercialisation activities prompted some citizens to contact the quarters concerned.

Residents say the spate of commercialisation is polluting the environment.

“First we approached our society’s management, but they said they were unable to stop it because LDA deals with commercialisation plans,” says a resident.

He said a lot of approved commercial zone was already lying vacant and the society should not go for ‘unbridled’ commercialisation.

Talking to Dawn, Cooperatives District Officer Muhammad Iqbal, who also heads the society as convener, said people desirous of constructions on the main boulevard approached LDA under its new temporary commercialisation policy.

“There is no role of the society in initiating such activities on this road, as it is purely LDA’s discretion to approve or disapprove such cases,” he added.

He said a standing committee (cooperatives) constituted by the chief minister had recently recommended that city’s civic agencies (LDA, Wasa, TEPA) shouldn’t approve any case related to commercialisation or infrastructure without seeing a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the respective cooperatives societies.

LDA’s Chief Town Planner Chaudhry Muhammad Akram said: “We are not fond of boosting such activities, particularly at the residential societies that have a very calm environment. In this case, the society itself promoted commercialisation by allowing such constructions unlawfully.”

He said when the LDA observed a mushroom growth of commercial activity on the main boulevard, it decided to regulate such affairs under its temporary commercialisation policy.

He said he had already asked the LDA’s one window and the commercialisation wing not to entertain applicants seeking temporary or permanent commercialisation of their properties along the road.

Talking to this reporter, the LDA director (commercialisation) said he had stopped process over already received applications.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2015

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