LAHORE: Participants at a media briefing raised questions about the Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA’s) Building and Zoning Regulations-2019 (amended) regarding vertical growth of Lahore on Monday.

Senior officials, experts and planners could not justify their plan to resolve the prevailing civic issues.

The orientation session was arranged to discuss the vertical growth plan (permission of constructing low, medium, high rise structures — apartment buildings at 30, 40, 60 and onward roads and other highrises with unlimited height in commercial areas).

“You are right that the existing underground infrastructure is not designed for highrises in residential areas,” said architect Abdul Rehman when asked about the capacity of the underground structure to accommodate the additional burden in the wake of highrises.

“It’s weak. But we will strengthen it side by side with the construction of such apartment buildings in residential areas.”

Three months back, LDA authorities started working on amending building rules and regulations after Prime Minister Imran Khan directed them to promote vertical growth in Lahore. The LDA management consulted urban experts, officials and builders as well as civil society on the issue. Recently, the LDA governing body approved the amended regulations, allowing highrises in residential and commercial areas. Under the new regulations, the apartment building can now be constructed in the approved housing schemes and the areas. Now, a residential building at a 10 marla plot can have 48 feet height (ground plus three floors). In this space, the owner has also been allowed to construct a shop measuring 400 feet at the ground floor.

“How can you can compare the mohallah culture of Walled City with the new city that mostly falls in LDA controlled areas?” said a participant.

“You’re allowing apartment buildings as well as shops in small streets. Why don’t you construct such structures at the sites designated in private housing schemes? Why don’t you do this at the designated areas (four to 12 kanal) in other approved schemes? And before doing so, why you people avoid strengthening your underground infrastructure?”

Other participants also raised questions about parking, security, law and order, traffic, congestion, walking, rest, designated areas, special zones etc.

LDA Vice Chairman SM Imran and Director General Usman Moazzam responded to media queries.

“The core objective behind this plan is to keep the people in the city centre so as to save their time, energy and money. Similarly, the plan would save our agriculture land and control the city’s horizontal growth,” he said, adding the orientation would help the LDA amend the new laws (if required).

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2019