LDA controlling four districts

[Salman]

LDA controlling four districts

LAHORE - Quashing local bodies’ approval of more than 110 under developed housing schemes of Kasur, Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib, the Lahore Development Authority has directed the builders to resubmit applications for approval.
The main objective of the cancellation is to force the owners and developers of these schemes to get formally approved from LDA, which has been declared the only authority by the provincial government.
The LDA further warned the developers that failing in submitting applications could cause discontinuity in the development work at the housing colonies and the LDA would be authorised to declare these schemes illegal.
An insider told this scribe that so far, developers or owners of about a dozen housing schemes formally submitted applications to LDA for getting approval of their colonies and the LDA authorities had to initiate such step so that the owners and developers of remaining housing schemes could be forced to follow the rules and regulations.
Earlier, the LDA had announced that any approval of accord for private housing scheme and land sub-division from any other government agency, except by the LDA, in the Lahore Division would be declared invalid and unlawful from a retrospective effect of September 19, 2013.
As per amendments in LDA Rules, “Except LDA, no other authority or town municipal administration, Tehsil municipal administration, any local body or any other government agency is authorised to approve any private housing scheme and land sub-division in Lahore Division, with the effect of September 19, 2013 and any approval accorded by any other government agency in Lahore Division, after the said date stands invalid.”
Public was informed that LDA was the only competent and authorised body for granting approval of private housing scheme and land sub-division in four districts of Lahore Division including Lahore, Sheikupura, Nankan Sahib and Kasur.
Under the provisions of LDA Act 1975, sponsors of the private housing schemes, farm housing schemes and land sub-divisions are not allowed to develop the scheme without LDA approval. They are also not allowed to advertise any scheme or project prior to formal approval by LDA and after the approval the sponsors were not permitted to advertise the scheme without getting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the LDA.
Development of private housing schemes without approval of LDA and publication of advertisement without obtaining NOC from the authority were illegal actions and punishable under Lahore Development Authority Act, 1975. The LDA could take actions, including imposition of penalty on the sponsors, submission of complaints in police station and sealing or demolishing of illegal construction and development works in the scheme etc.
All sponsors or developers of private housing schemes and land sub-divisions have been advised to stop the development and sale of the plots without approval from the LDA. They have also been asked to refrain from advertising the housing scheme without getting NOC from the authority.
An LDA spokesman said that in the interest of public at large, all advertising agencies too, have been requested not to publish or broadcast any advertisement in the media without checking a duly-issued NOC from the LDA.
The interested buyers of plots in any private housing scheme or land sub-division in Lahore Division should get information about the legality and status of plots from LDA prior to finalising any deal.