LDA to release budget soon: minister

Says priorities will be reset according to people’s needs

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) will soon release a budget for the ongoing fiscal year to ensure that development works continue uninterrupted in the city.

Punjab Minister for Housing Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed made this announcement, here on Saturday, while speaking to the media during his inspection of the ongoing construction activity at the Shukat Khanum Flyover site.

Rasheed told the media that the Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) Governing Body has been reconstituted after elections. Members-elect will soon meet and grant approval for the authority’s budget for the current fiscal year 2018-19. Funds for completion of ongoing development projects will be released after approval of the budget, he maintained.



The minister said development priorities for the provincial capital will be determined and rationalised by keeping in view the basic requirements of the people. He said the LDA Vice Chairman SM Imran was working on behalf of the Punjab chief minister to improve the authority’s service delivery.

During the visit, LDA Project Director Iqrar Hussain told the minister that over 85% of development works on the Shukat Khanum flyover had been completed. However, the authority could make only half of the contractor’s payment to date. He pointed out that street lights, cat eyes and road marking works were yet to be completed, while an asphalt layer would be laid on the road at grade.

Meanwhile, LDA Vice Chairman SM Imran told the media that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar will preside over the meeting of the LDA Governing Body which is expected to be scheduled soon. He highlighted that the meeting will give approve the budget for the current fiscal year and requisite funds will be released for ongoing development schemes.

Buzdar will also formally inaugurate the newly-constructed Shaukat Khanum Flyover before December 5. The remaining construction works will be completed in the next 15 days.

He underlined that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government did not believe in political victimisation. “The PTI government will serve masses,” he maintained. The vice chairman maintained that an Insaf desk will be set up in LDA where complaints of the people would be received and their grievances resolved on a priority basis.



Meanwhile, LDA Director General Amna Imran Khan ordered officials to carry out a survey of commercial buildings of the city to formulating a comprehensive strategy for the new master plan and commercialisation policy of the city.

She formed 16 survey teams which were carrying out a land use survey of various localities of the city. The activity was taking place in collaboration with the Punjab Urban Unit. Digital data for each property was being collected and special software had been prepared for this purpose, she highlighted.

Meanwhile, on the invitation of the LDA DG, a pre-consultation meeting will be held at the committee room of LDA Sports Complex on Johar Town, on Tuesday, November 20, 2018 at 10:00 am. The meeting will discuss master plan of Lahore Division-2040.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2018.