LDA kickstarts land acquisition process

Possession proof enough for payment of compensation, says authority .

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has started land acquisition process for the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project as agitation continues against it by opposition parties and a group of citizens comprising activists and residents and businesses at specific points along the route who face evictions to make way for the route.

An LDA spokesman told The Express Tribune that the provincial government had directed the Revenue Department to process the OLMT land acquisition claims on priority. He said the department would hold meetings twice a week to complete verification of property documents in time.

In a recent statement, the LDA had said that compensation cheques would be issued to the claimants within two days of submission of required documents and their verification from the Revenue Department.

It said that affected citizens no longer needed ownership deeds to claim compensation cheques. The LDA had decided to process compensation claims of all those in possession of properties needed for the project, it said. The claimants needed to only show that they were in possession of the property concerned.

The LDA has set up four camps at Jain Mandir, the University of Engineering and Technology, Thokhar Niaz Baig; and the LDA Office in Johar Town to take queries about the acquisition process and to assist claimants in completion of documents. The staff at these camps will also help claimants get their documents verified from the Revenue Department.

The documents claimants need to submit alongside their applications for payment of compensation are: a photocopy of their and two witnesses’ Computerised National Identity Cards (CNICs); an indemnity bond on a Rs100 stamp paper; an affidavit on a Rs50 stamp paper; an attested copy of the property’s registry; an attested copy of the document needed for payment of compensation from the revenue officer concerned; attested copies of transfer documents, utility bills and property tax receipt.

The camps will remain open from 9am to 2 pm.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2^nd, 2016.