LAHORE: The Punjab Local Government and Community Development Department has completed land use and zoning plans (urban master planning) of 32 districts, designating/allocating the separate zones for residential, commercial and industrial land-use, according to an official source in the department.

The measure will help stem the wave of converting green acres into residential towns.

Punjab lost its 225,000 green acres in the last couple of decades to 6,000 housing schemes. Of 6,000, around 4,000 schemes have been developed illegally allegedly in connivance with the respective municipal and development authorities, Dawn has learnt.

“It is a matter of grave concern that the Punjab has lost precious 225,000 agriculture acres to unplanned urban growth, as these major chunks have been converted into as many as 6,000 housing schemes,” says a senior official seeking anonymity.

“However, finally the government felt the growing urban issues due to such ill-planned growth a couple of years ago, leaving it with no option but to start preparation of master plans of districts, including some development authorities.”

The practice of consuming agriculture land by its conversion to residential and commercial use continued for a long time — until starting and preparation of the master plans.

And now no one can develop any housing scheme or launch any commercial or industrial project at the land not notified/approved as per master plan for this purpose, the official said.

The consumption of agriculture land for unplanned housing schemes, said the official, has not only caused reduction in agriculture produce but also affected Punjab adversely in terms of negative climate change and environmental impact (smog, pollution etc).

According to him, the problem was realized after the government faced severe urban issues which forced the authorities to establish a dedicated project management unit and assign it with the task to get the master plans of all districts in close coordination with the deputy commissioners and municipal and development authorities.

The master plans address the growth in next 20 years amid finalisation of boundary for the designated land zones for residential, commercial and industrial zones.

The master and zoning plans of 32 districts, which have been prepared and some of them have been approved by the deputy commissioners included Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Okara, Sahiwal, Khanewal, Vehari, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Multan, Jhelum, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Attock, Chakwal, Bhakkar, Khushab, Mianwali, Chiniot, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Pakpattan, Lodhran, Layyah, Rajanpur and Bahawalnagar. The district which of plans have been approved included Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Gujranwala, RY Khan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Okara, Khanewal, Vehari, DG Khan and Muzaffargarh.

“The government has asked the department to get all remaining plans approved by the DCs by Feb 5,” the official said, adding that the doors for planned, unbridled and mushroom growth of the housing schemes in the non-designated land have been closed forever.

The official said under the land use and zoning plans, every district would have a central business district for commercial and mix-use zone following the best practices under concept of engine of economic growth.

He said to monitor and control malpractices, any violation of the plans would automatically appear at the central dashboard established in the department. The master planning in the remaining districts would also be coordinated soon.

“The plans would help us protecting green areas and the land designated for fish, goat or livestock farming, forests, farm to market and structure plan roads and other uses. And will improve regional connectivity leading to a great contribution to strengthen the country’s economy in general,” he elaborated.

BIKERS LANES: The works related to developing dedicated lanes for bikers on Ferozpur Road would be completed within a month, according to LDA DG Tahir Farooq. He told Dawn on Sunday that after completion of the ongoing works, the biker’s lane would also be developed at Jail Road, The Mall and Gulberg and Johar Town main boulevards.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2025