LDA achieved many milestones of development in 2015: DG

[Salman]

Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General (DG) Ahad Cheema has said that in line with the development vision of Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the LDA has achieved a number of new milestones with regard to public service and provision of quality infrastructure in the metropolis during year 2015.

In statement issued here on Thursday, he said that to finish the long ordeal of thousands of affectees, who could not get possession of their plots even after 12 years because of prolonged litigation, the LDA carried out re-planning of its housing scheme LDA Avenue-One and created 1,599 additional plots. These plots were allotted to the affectees through computerised balloting which were held twice with the cooperation of Punjab Information Technology Board.

He said that a commission for resolving issues of bona-fide purchasers of plots in LDA schemes or sorting out matters related to unlawfully developed housing schemes and illegal constructions, was constituted by the Punjab Government.

The LDA DG said that project for development and implementation of integrated computerised system for over all computerisation of LDA’s functioning and record was commenced which will cost Rs 285 million. Files of more than 80,000 plots in LDA’s own housing schemes will be scanned and digitised under this project. All the applications received at the one window cell of LDA for transfer of plots, approval of building plans, issuance of completion certificates and disposal of other public matters will be carried out through the specially designed software after the completion of this project.

A ‘Record Sifting Cell’ was also established by LDA for removing impediments and simplifying the procedure for transfer of plots in minimum possible time, he added.

Cheema said that engineering wing of LDA completed construction of 3.4 kilo-meters long road for connecting Moulana Shoukat Ali Road Johar Town with Multan Road via Punjab University and Kareem Block Allama Iqbal Town, at a cost of Rs 1.72 billion. A 5.2 meters deep underpass was also constructed along Canal Road for easing the traffic going towards Muslim Town from Tokhar Niaz Baig. Widening and improvement of road in Kareem Block Allama Iqbal and realignment of Kharak drain was also done and a signal-free junction at Canal Bridge Jinnah Hospital was established for the benefit of 153,000 vehicles per day.

He said that project for connecting two important inter-city roads – Ferozepur Road and Multan Road – by covering Cantt Drain and constructing a two kilometers long three-lane dual carriage way from LOS stop Ferozepur Road to Multan Road was also completed at a cost of Rs 4.35 billion.