LAHORE, Dec 13: A workshop and a service station were among the more than 125 illegal structures demolished on Saturday by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) along Maulana Shaukat Ali Road in Johar Town and in Gulberg’s Main Market vicinity.

The workshop and the service station, constructed on the state land reserved for public utility at E-1 block of Johar Town, were razed by LDA’s town planning wing staff.

The structures dismantled in Gulberg included platforms, ramps, sheds, kiosks and other illegal structures that caused impediments in movement for pedestrians, smooth flow of traffic as well as quick disposal of storm water from roads. These structures were illegally erected beyond the legitimate boundaries of buildings in violation of building bye-laws by owners or occupants.

The operation in Gulberg was jointly carried out by officials of the estate management directorate and town planning wing of LDA as well as Wasa staff on the second day of the campaign launched against encroachments in localities under LDA’s control as well as utility area of approved private housing schemes in the city.

Meanwhile, an LDA spokesman has urged residents of housing schemes under its control for voluntarily dismantling all encroachments without further delay, failing which they will have to bear the demolition charges as well. The encroachers would also be dealt with under sections 33, 34 and 40 of the LDA Act 1975, he said.

Conference: The Pakistan Institute of Technology for Minerals and Advanced Engineering Materials will organise a three-day international conference on frontiers of advanced engineering materials at a local hotel from Monday (tomorrow).

Local and foreign engineers, scientists and technologists will discuss new development in the field of materials science which has led to the fabrication of high performance smart materials for a wide range of applications in the engineering industry.

Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Chairman Engineer Sheharyar Khan will present the keynote address during the inaugural session.