GUJRANWALA/SIALKOT, Jan 18: People who have invested their money in various housing colonies fear huge losses because 25 housing schemes in Gujranwala and 19 in Sialkot have been declared illegal.

Under the rules set by the Housing and Physical Planning Department and Gujranwala Development Authority (GDA), no housing colony can be constructed on less than 160 kanals, but many landlords and businessmen established housing colonies on 40 to 80 kanals along Sialkot road, Alipur Chattha road and GT Road over the last five years.

Now, when people have learnt about the illegality, they are trying to sell their plots in panic.

In Sialkot, 19 housing schemes have been established by influential people without getting no-objection certificates from the authorities.

According to a Tehsil Municipal Administration official who wished not to be named, 11 of these 19 housing schemes have been established in and around Sialkot city and eight around Sambrial city. He said owners of these illegal housing schemes were earning millions of rupees.

Two of these housing schemes have been set up around Sialkot International Airport. The TMA official said under the Civil Aviation Authority bylaws construction was not allowed within 200 metres of the airport. But influential people have established these housing schemes just a few yards from the airport.

The main gate and office of one of these housing schemes is exactly opposite the main entrance to the airport. The Sambrial TMA has not issued NOCs to the schemes, which were established on hundreds of acres by those who had political influence in the last government. These schemes are still without roads, electricity, gas, telephone, water and parks.

The TMA official said the Revenue Department stopped all illegal housing schemes from transferring land to people, but they did so in defiance of the department’s directive. Owners of these schemes claim they have sold out 80 per cent of the plots.