Over Rs57b being pumped into the city

Half of the funds going towards development

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has approved a budget of Rs57.96 billion of which Rs37.55 billion has been earmarked for various development schemes in the provincial capital during Fiscal Year 2017-18.

The authority’s Governing Body has approved the budgets for LDA and its subsidiaries, including Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Lahore and Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (TEPA), during a meeting on Monday.



The moot was chaired by Punjab Chief Minister’s Adviser and Governing Body Member Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan.

Budget documents show the Urban Development Wing of the authority will have over Rs38.60 billion at its disposal. Of the total, Rs28.58 billion are to be spent on development projects and Rs13.51 billion will be generated through the authority’s own resources. The LDA has earmarked Rs540 million for development schemes in Sheikhupura, Kasur and Nankana Sahib districts.

It also set aside Rs4.49 billion for roads and sewerage projects in different residential schemes, including Rs1 billion for LDA Avenue 1 and Rs390 million for the Finance and Trade Centre in Muhammad Ali Johar Town.

The authority has reserved Rs2 billion for new residential schemes, including LDA City and Rs1 billion for various other projects such as the construction of Guru Mangat Road Railway Crossing Underpass, Maulana Shaukat Ali Road, Khayaban-e-Firdousi and the remodeling of Khayaban-e-Jinnah, among other initiatives.



In the LDA budget for the current fiscal year, the authority will put Rs1.40 billion into various official buildings, including Rs800 million in LDA offices in Johar Town, Rs100 million in LDA Avenue 1 office and Rs150 million in the park and ride plaza in Moon Market Allama Iqbal Town.

LDA plans to spend Rs350 million on the authority’s integrated computerised system and Rs250 million to shift the fruit and vegetable market in Kot Lakhpat. At the same time, Rs100 million has been earmarked for the preparation of the Lahore division master plan, apart from Rs170 million for various overhead pedestrian bridges.

Documents indicate the authority has earmarked Rs6.08 billion to start new development schemes, Rs2 billion for the public-private partnership Twin Towers project on Jail Road and Rs100 million for the Shahkam Chowk-Defence Road Underpass. The authority will also build another tower by investing Rs1.7 billion through its own resources.

With Punjab government funding through the Annual Development Program (ADP) and deposit works, the LDA will start different development projects worth Rs14.63 billion. It has earmarked Rs10 billion for the Lahore Orange Line Metro Train project, Rs100 million for the construction of Barki Road and the approach road for Ashiana Iqbal. Also, Rs50 million will go into the maintenance of Bedian Road, Barki Road and other adjacent roads.



A sum of Rs50 million has been earmarked to connect the Lahore-Multan Motorway with Multan Road, while as much funding will go into the construction of the road from Lahore Expo Center to Ring Road.

The authority had also set aside Rs3 billion to build 12 sport complexes in different constituencies of the National Assembly of Pakistan. For WASA, the authority has earmarked Rs14.93 billion and Rs4.42 billion for TEPA.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 11^th, 2017.