LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) governing body on Saturday approved a plan to boost commercial activities on 10 different roads of the city by allowing construction of high-rises without any height limit.

Earlier, the government had approved the revised layout plan of the Finance and Trade Centre (FTC), Johar Town, and an amendment to the LDA’s Building and Zoning Regulations-2019 under which the restriction on the buildings’ height were removed, allowing construction of skyscrapers in the high-end zone in Lahore.

The LDA governing body meeting was held under vice chairman Naeemul Haq, where Director General Ahmad Aziz Tarar briefed the participants on implementation of different decisions. Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) vice chairman Sheikh Imtiaz Mahmood, MPA Sadia Sohail Rana, Tariq Sana Bajwa, Additional Secretary Zahid Sohail, Commissioner retired Capt Muhammad Usman were also present.

The 10 roads where commercial activities were allowed are Burki Road, Raiwind Road from Thokar to Defence, Maulana Shaukat Ali Road from Model Town Link Road to Railway Crossing, Johar Town Bypass Road from Canal Road to Wapda Town, Raiwind Road from Shaukat Khanum to Khayaban-i-Jinnah, Defense Road from Multan Road to Raiwind Road, from Link Raiwind Road to PIA Road extension, Zafar Ali Road from Jail Road to Mall Road, Canal Bank Road from Thokar Niaz Baig to Shahkam Chowk.

The governing body also approved reclassification of nine more roads of the city, including Abul Hassan Isphani Road, Main Boulevard Sabzazar, Johar Town Road, Qazi Essa Road, Campus Bridge Road, Tollinton Market Road, Hamdard Jail Road, Shah Jillani Road and Wahdat Road.

The body directed the LDA DG to hold a “lucky draw” to allot plots to the complainants of the LDA Avenue-1 and also approved establishing a graveyard on 23 kanal land in J-Block of Sabzazar Scheme. The graveyard administration would be handed over to the Shehr-e-Khamoshan Authority.

The governing body also turned a petrol pump site (plot No 55) in Iqbal Town into a commercial area and allotted two plots — 50 A-1 and A-2 — in Rachna Block, Iqbal Town, to the Metropolitan Corporation in public interest.

Meanwhile, a 9.9-kanal piece of land in the Ittehad Town, Raiwind Road, was given to the Environment Protection Department (EPD) for construction of an environment-friendly building on it. The LDA workshop land near Sherpao Bridge was allotted to the Police Department to improve the security of Qurban Line Police.

The governing body constituted a committee to probe into Mouza Kharak, Mustafa Town, issue and also sought suggestions from the committee for registration of real estate workers/property dealers.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2022