LAHORE, Aug 4: The Supreme Court has ordered status quo on illegally-constructed plazas in the city while hearing several applications for restraining the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) from taking any action.

Punjab advocate general Khwaja Haris said the Supreme Court had reiterated its earlier order of disallowing the illegally-built plazas to raise new structures.

He said the Punjab government would not allow any new construction without the approval of the High Rise Building Commission.

A two-member SC bench, comprising Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad and Justice Syed Sakhi Hussain Bokhari, heard the applications. The applicants said the LDA had issued them with notice to demolish their plazas.

The advocate general informed the court that the government would not take any action against the plazas unless they violated the stay order against construction and started building new structures in violation of the rules and regulations and the laid down procedure.

Talking to Dawn, LDA director-general Irfan Ali said the authority had requested the court to decide all the cases pending before it on their merits.

He said 45 plazas were required to be demolished completely, 150 plazas partially and a few cases needed reconsideration.

A Supreme Court bench, comprising deposed judges Khalilur Rehman Ramday and Justice Falak Sher, had issued a stay order against the illegally-constructed plazas.

It had ordered demolition of plazas, which were completely in violation of rules and regulations while made to pay fine to others with minor deviations.