LAHORE, Jan 24: Division and provincial committees constituted to identify and finalise compensation for the Metro Bus System (MBS) project affectees have unanimously decided to provide alternate sites to those whose petrol pumps have been acquired and demolished for executing the project.

“According to recommendations, all owners of demolished petrol/fuel pumps will be provided alternate sites on lease for a period of 15 years.

At the expiry of the lease agreement, the government will lease out the site through an open auction,” Lahore Commissioner Jawad Rafique Malik said while presiding over a meeting he held with a delegation of the Pakistan Petroleum Dealers Association and local petrol pump owners here on Thursday.

He said that senior officials concerned had ensured transparency regarding payments to all MBS affectees.

He said the government had also appointed him a focal person to implement recommendations of the committees in this regard. The commissioner informed the delegation that all demolished petrol pumps had been divided into three categories, A, B and C, on the basis of their location, structure, etc with reference to providing new sites to them.

“We will complete the task of giving alternate sites to fuel pumps’ owners within a week or so after which the affected business community may start their work there,” he added.

DEMOLISHED: The Town Planning Wing of the LDA demolished on Thursday various buildings/structures for being constructed unlawfully without submission of the building plans.

According to an LDA spokesman, the officials demolished the basement of a plaza which was being illegally constructed on plot No 808 of Ravi Block in Allama Iqbal Town.

They also dismantled an illegal commercial construction on plot No 905 of B-Block at Faisal Town (Maulana Shaukat Ali Road).

Four illegal shops on plot No 8 of Gul-i-Daman, a private housing scheme (adjacent to PGECHS near College Road, Township), were also demolished. An illegal workshop in the Board of Revenue Housing Scheme near the Main Mosque was demolished by officials, the spokesman said.

SUSPENDED: The CDGL suspended notices on Thursday for the payment of commercialization fee that were served on shopkeepers of Daroghawala and Shadipura on GT Road.

“We will soon constitute a committee comprising officers of the CDGL and traders to resolve the commercialization fee issue,” the DCO said while meeting with local traders during his visit to GT Road here.

Accompanied by MNA Pervaiz Malik, MPA Mehar Ishtiaq and CDGL officers, the DCO directed the authorities concerned to improve cleanliness arrangements in traders’ markets.

He also sought appointment of 30 wardens at Daroghawala Bazaar to resolve traffic problems.

The DCO stopped the district officer (special planning) from making recovery of the commercialisation fee till further orders.