LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) failure to have the land (acquired from private people for launching various housing schemes) transferred in its name is causing issues for those seeking no objection certificates (NOCs) prior to selling their properties.

The situation seems far from addressed as most of around 1,900 applications pending with the LDA till Tuesday last were related to NOCs.

The LDA launched and developed a number of housing schemes such as Gulberg, Model Town (Extension), Muslim Town, Garden Town, Shadman, Allama Iqbal Town, Sabzazar, Johar Town, Mustafa Town, Jubilee Town, Mohlanwal, Faisal Town and Township (Quaid-i-Azam Town) in the provincial capital during the last 40 to 50 years. The schemes including LDA Avenue-1 and LDA City are in the land acquisition and development phase.

“All the schemes launched and developed by the LDA are facing minor and major issues. And the main issue is non-transfer of land, acquired for these schemes, in the name of the LDA. This is either blunder or corruption on part of senior officials concerned, especially those who joined the LDA as Land Acquisition Collectors (LACs) in different periods and were supposed to complete the entire process right from acquisition to transfer under the law,” an official told Dawn.

He said that owing to non-transfer of land in the name of the LDA, those who purchased plots and built houses had been facing difficulties after the condition of NOC imposed by the LDA in 2014.

“Those desirous of selling properties before 2014 had no such issue but now acquiring an NOC for property transaction is an uphill task. The LDA administration must look into the issue to give relief to the people,” he said.

“Currently those who apply for NOCs have to face hassle as the respective plot / property is first transferred in the name of the LDA and then in favour of the buyer. Similarly, the land being retrieved from illegal occupants is being transferred in favour of the LDA,” he said.

Meanwhile, the LDA administration admits that most complaints related to NOCs are just because of incomplete record of the housing schemes.

“The main reason behind the delay in the issuance of NOCs for sale of plots / properties is incomplete record of land at the time of launch of these schemes. However, all possible efforts are being made for providing relief to the people,” LDA Additional Director General (Headquarters) Abdul Shakoor Rana told the media in an open court here on Tuesday.

The ADG said the complaints regarding use of delaying tactics and corruption by officials were being addressed.

“All the directorates have been directed to put forward weekly performance reports with regard to disposal of public applications,” he added.

Earlier, he listened to the complaints of the people and issued directions to the officials to address these.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2018