CM`s directive on housing colony: Officials willy-nilly making assessment

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

LAHORE: With `strong reservations` in mind, the authorities concerned are assessing the possibility of converting Wahdat Colony into Ashiana-like housing scheme for government servants already living there on the direction of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Dawn learnt on Sunday.

Built in around 1960, Wahdat Colony is the property of the Punjab government and is the largest amongst several residential colonies for the Punjab government employees in Lahore.

Sources said the chief minister had asked the authorities concerned to prepare a briefing for him after the Action Committee for Property Rights, Wahdat Colony, submitted an application seeking ownership rights for the houses or quarters for those provincial government servants already living there.

The committee sought ownership rights on the pattern of those colonies adopted by the provincial government for allotting houses to widows and poor people in its Ashiana Housing Scheme.

Sources said the officials concerned had on Saturday conducted a survey of Wahdat Colony and two other similar residential quarters, Chauburji and Poonch House, without agreeing to the appeal of giving the place to the `interested parties` against peanuts.

“The idea is scandalous and, if followed, is sure to bring a bad name to the government,” an official said.

He explained that only six to seven per cent lucky government employees were occupying official residential quarters in Lahore and doling out the biggest among them, Wahdat Colony, would be like depriving the Punjab government of its biggest asset.

“The government is running out of even development funds and as to how it would arrange for another colony if this is given to those enjoying the facility for years and now desiring to devour it,” argued the official.

He said that spread over 350 acres out of which 100 acres are encroached upon, the colony is worth trillions of rupees. It has 30kms of roads, five big grounds, 26 internal green belts, one hospital, and a police station. The market value of its outer green belt on Wahdat Road, which is around 60ft wide, is estimated between Rs10 billion and Rs12 billion.

“The colony has all facilities. The roofs of its houses were changed besides repairing its inner roads and building a boundary wall and entrance gates only two months ago,” the official said.

“The colony must be kept for catering to the residential needs of the government servants. And if someone wants to dispose it of, the better way is to generate huge funds by privatising it on market rates instead of giving it in charity,” the official said.

He feared that turning Wahdat Colony into an Ashiana-like scheme was bound to generate similar trend for other official colonies like Chauburji built in 1922, and everywhere in the province. “One must keep future in mind,” he cautioned.