LDA seals offices of eight illegal housing societies

Following the apex court’s order to eliminate corruption, the LDA has also initiated a massive campaign

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) continued its operation illegal private housing societies and sealed offices of eight such schemes on Tuesday.

Officials of the LDA Metropolitan Planning Wing and Directorate of Estate Management Private Housing Schemes conducted raids on Raiwind and Grand Trunk Road areas in the provincial capital. The LDA officials sealed offices of Al-Kabir Town Phase-II, Dream Housing Scheme, Royal Enclave, Mehr Garden, Al-Hadi Town Phase-II, Al-Ghani Phase-III, Green Land, Alrahim Phase-IV and Metro City (Sector C and D).

Earlier, on Monday, the city developer had filed applications with local police for the registration of FIRs against 10 illegal housing schemes, including Al-Hadi Phase II, Abeer Garden, Bilal Town, Al-Ghani Phase II, Green Land Housing Scheme, Ashraf Garden, Zam Zam City, Gull Nishan Park and Arham Garden. The authority also sealed the offices an additional four illegal housing scheme along Ferozepur Road, including Haideri Homes, Al-Haram Garden, Gulberg Town and Sun City.

On the directives of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, LDA Director General Amna Imran Khan had also formed three special teams to survey all approved, under-process and illegal housing schemes.

Comprising 35 officers, these teams conducted the survey and prepare lists of approved, under-process and illegal housing schemes as well as legal and illegal subdivisions situated in the four districts of Lahore. There included Sheikupura, Nanka Sahib and Kasur. These teams will also identify all kinds of violations, including illegal structures, illegal subdivisions and encroachments. They will also take action against irregularities and submit the report within 10 days.

It is for the first time that the authority is taking action at such a large scale. Earlier, the city developer was running such drives half-heartedly. LDA officials believed that giving ads in newspapers and posting details of illegal housing schemes on its website was enough. However, following the apex court’s order and the political government’s resolve to eliminate corruption and encroachment, the city developer has also initiated a massive campaign in the provincial metropolis.