LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways (PR) has joined hands with the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) for a business plan to earn the maximum revenue from its prime commercial properties in the city, including one situated near the Lahore Railway Station.

The decision to engage the LDA has been taken keeping in view its expertise to market and auction properties.

After a recent meeting of Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi with LDA Director General Tahir Farooq, both organisations started working vigorously to mature this government-to-government joint venture.

“The meeting remained successful. We briefed the LDA delegation about our major commercial properties, including the 16 kanal piece of land near to the railway station. We requested the LDA to prepare a viable business plan that can help us earn the optimum revenue through auction of leasing rights and other business interventions,” said a senior railways official while talking to Dawn on Tuesday.

According to him, the other property measures nearly 50 kanals on Peeco Road (Maulana Shaukat Ali Road) near Kot Lakhpat Railway Station.

“However, the LDA will first prepare a business model for the property near the railway station as a pilot project. If it appears to be successful, the railways will hand over its second property to the LDA for replication of the pilot project.”

To a question, the official said currently an old abandoned building, which was used as a rest room for the train guards, was standing there on the 16 kanal property nearby the station. However, before handover to the LDA, this structure will be dismantled.

To another question, he said the decision to pay service charges to the LDA for providing such services is yet to be taken.

“But I think it is likely to be done at 10pc of the total revenue earned by the railways,” he hoped.

Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi confirmed the development, terming it a government-to-government joint venture.

“We have placed our properties before the LDA in a recent meeting. Now the LDA will make a business plan and discuss with us in the next meeting. If it is approved, we will give a go-ahead to the LDA to execute the model for the 16-kanal property,” he said while speaking to Dawn.

LDA DG Tahir Farooq said the officers concerned in the authority had started working on the project.

“We will render full cooperation to the railways in this regard,” he said, adding that the LDA team, during the meeting, urged the railways to handover only those properties that had no legal, technical, possession and administrative issues.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2026