LAHORE: The governing body of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has given a go-ahead to complete the Lahore Division Master Plan after negotiating with the consultant regarding the Rs320 million expenditures it had sought in this regard.

“There have been clear court orders seeking completion of the Lahore Division Master Plan-2050 since long. Moreover, a high-level committee also wants its completion as soon as possible,” a senior official said while talking to Dawn on Friday.

It is pertinent to mention that the matters concerning urban growth, planning, approval of housing schemes, green areas and others in Lahore City district in particular, and other districts and towns in general, are currently being dealt under the obsolete Amended Lahore Division Plan-2016 — a revised version of the Punjab Capital Master Plan 2004-2021.

Division is currently governed by obsolete Amended Lahore Division Plan-2016

The plan was completed in 2022 and later challenged in the Lahore High Court that finally suspended its enforcement. The plan had envisaged a new city centre in Gulberg and contained details of the city’s future growth, expansion, settlement and plans. The master plan included a regional plan of Lahore Division, as well as master plans of major urban settlements falling within the division.

In it, the Lahore district would include a northern part of the Sheikhupura district to accommodate its growing population. For the three districts of Sheikhupura, Nankana and Kasur, master plans of major urban settlements had also been prepared. It also incorporated plans and policies of three other authorities, the Walled City of Lahore Authority, Punjab Central Business Districts Development Authority and Ravi Urban Development Authority. Though the then CM, on October 17, 2022 approved the plan, it was challenged in the court terming its approval an allegedly ‘managed’ affair and designed to extend undue benefits to land mafia and property developers. They also feared that the plan would also have a devastating impact on the environment.

Finally, after hearing the arguments, the LHC suspended the master plan in January, 2023. It also observed that the random and aimless development projects of the government were a threat to citizen’s health and the economy of the country. Since the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had also launched a probe, the LDA, in the light of the court orders decided in April 2023 to get the plan reviewed and okayed by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – a renowned Swiss non-government organisation and the Urban Unit of the Punjab Planning and Development Department. However, the review could not be done due to unknown reasons.

The official said that the governing body in its meeting approved amendments in the rules and regulations following recommendations of the Punjab Government. The authority approved a proposal seeking revision of the project related to the wastewater treatment plant. It also approved commercialisation of various roads including the New Defence Road and College Road. The body deferred proposals concerning commercialisation of other roads including Sabzazar Scheme Road and Ring Road interchange to the BRB Canal. It accorded approval to remodel the LDA Avenue-I housing scheme’s commercial area and other schemes as per approved housing schemes’ regulation.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2026