LDA to recover demolition charges of Rs90m from 13 plaza owners

[Salman]

LAHORE - Lahore Development Authority on Wednesday has started action for recovering expenditure worth more than Rs90 million of 13 high-rise buildings in the city in 2010, during LDA’s operation against illegally constructed buildings.

According to spokesperson of the department, notices in this regard have been served to the owners other than the sealing operation of these buildings.

He said that LDA has to recover an amount of Rs6.4 million from Inam Impex, situated at 83 Garden Block, Garden Town, along Ferozepur Road, for demolishing its three illegally constructed upper floors.

Demolition of two tops stories of Rabi Center, situated on Main Boulevard Gulberg, was carried out by LDA at a cost Rs17.7 million. Complete knocking down of five-storey Al-Rahman Medical Complex, built illegally in a plot of Katchi Abadi at Naseer Ababd on Ferozepur Road was done at a cost of Rs20 million.

Five illegally constructed floors of 11-storey Ahad Tower, near Kalma Chowk, were also demolished during the operation costing Rs23.8 million to LDA. Pulling down of illegally constructed top floor of Big City Plaza, near Liberty Round About, cost Rs13 million. Demolition of two top floors of Jeff Heights near Hafiz Centre was done by the owner of the building himself. However, cost of the partial work done by LDA at this place was Rs0.55 million.

Flattening of three-storey Tariq Complex at Model Town Link Road was done at a cost of Rs3.6 million. Demolition of fourth and fifth floors of Bridal Centre along this road was executed at a cost of Rs2.5 million where as plaza adjacent to Telenor building was demolished at a cost of Rs1.1 million.

Complete demolition of four-storey plaza situated on plot No 2-G in PIA Society was completed at a cost of Rs1.6 million where as total flattening of three-storey plaza on plot No 8-G in the same locality was done at a cost of Rs3.0 million. Partial demolition of Plaza constructed on Plots No 9 and 10-G in this area was finished at a cost of Rs5.7 million. LDA has to recover Rs0.325 million from Siddique Trade Centre for removing violations of building bye-laws in this plaza.

Meanwhile, Lahore Development Authority Director General Ahad Khan Cheema has entrusted the additional charge of the post of Director EME, LDA, to Mudassir Tanvir Sheikh, Director (HQ). Engineering Wing, LDA, during the Hajj leave of Abdur Razzaq.

Timely completion assured by WAPDA&CAP: The Water and Power Development Authority and Contractors Association of Pakistan (CAP) agreed upon the on-time completion of water and hydropower projects in a meeting at Wapda house on Wednesday.

Speaking at the occasion Chairman Engineer Akbar Sheikh who led the CAP delegation said that the completion of the projects within stipulated timeframe and in accordance with specified quality standards was the collective responsibility of all stakeholders including the contractors. “Everyone must fulfill their responsibility,” he added. Wapda Chairman Raghib Shah asked the CAP to play an active role by urging and strengthening their members for the purpose. The Chairman said that Wapda had expedited efforts for completion of the projects, which were delayed due to financial constraints. He further said that Wapda had decided to complete all such projects in phases by making prudent use of the available funds.

While responding to the suggestions made by the CAP, the Chairman said that Wapda would support construction industry to help grow as per rules in a competitive manner.

The CAP assured Wapda of their assistance in timely completion of Wapda projects. The matters relating to standard bidding documents of the Pakistan Engineering Council, performance guarantee, insurance, mobilisation advance, price adjustment etc. were also discussed in the meeting.

Wapda Member (Power) Muhammad Qasim Khan, Member (Finance) Syed Nazakat Ali Shah, Secretary Muhammad Imtiaz Tajwar, acting Member (Water) Muhammad Ali Shah, General Managers and other senior concerned officers also attended the meeting.