LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority town planning wing claims to have demolished or sealed several illegal commercial buildings and plazas on Ferozepur Road in an anti-encroachment operation.

The operation was also conducted in Samanabad, Chauburji, Krishan Nagar, Jail Road, Shadman, Muslim Town, Township, Old Kahna, Nishtar Stop and Gujjumata areas.

The teams sealed several illegal commercial buildings on Madar-i-Millat Road, Township, and demolished shops near Old Kahna Speedo Bus Stop. The illegal building of Mall of Kahna on Ferozepur Road was also demolished.

The operations were conducted on the directions of Chief Town Planner Tahir Mayo and led by Town Planning-I Director Shafqat Niaz and Director Ms Ayesha.

LDA sources said a massive anti-encroachment operation against multi-storey buildings was conducted during the Shehbaz’s last tenure as chief minister. However, some LDA officers allowed construction of high-rises without any legal provision and fee during ex-CM Usman Buzdar’s term, they added.

They termed the recent operation an eyewash, saying it was aimed at point-scoring. “No major illegal building was sealed or demolished during the operation,” a sources said.

He said there were several buildings and plazas constructed during the past government without implementing LDA laws or paying due fees, adding some of the authority officers were violating laws and not taking action against these structures.

Earlier, DC Umar Sher Chattha had also ordered anti-encroachment activities along 24 major roads and constituted special teams comprising officials of seven departments to eliminate encroachments on these roads. He had ordered monitoring of these operations on a regular basis through the Punjab Safe City Authority cameras.

He directed the transport department to remove illegal bus and rickshaw stands along these 24 roads.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2022