Zoning laws: Properties on 32 roads to be commercialised

Commercialisation subject to NOCs from WASA, traffic police, Environment Protection Dept.

LAHORE:

The District Planning and Design Committee on Thursday approved a list of 32 roads, the properties on which can now be commercialised.

The commercialisation, however, will subject to No Objection Certificates from the Traffic Police, the Environment Protection Department and the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa).

The meeting, chaired by Commissioner Jawad Rafique Malik, considered a total of 39 roads.

The approved list includes Harbanspura Road (Joray Pul to Lahore Canal), Main Nishtar Bazaar (Ferozepur Road to Rohi Drain), Garhi Shahu Road (Allama Iqbal Road to Chowk Ghareeb Nawaz), Sikander Malhi Road (Chistiya Ghee Milss office to Zahoor Elahi Road), Rana Shaukat Mehmood Road (Gulberg trunk sewer to Zahoor Elahi Road), Ganga Ice Fatory Road (Sarhad Restaurant to Sherpao Bridge),Guru Mangat Road (Sakhi Chowk to PSO Petrol Pump) and Link Out Fall Road (Corporation Chowk to Chohan Park).

The city government hopes to collect commercialisation fee on properties, many of which are already being used for commercial purposes, an official said.

Municipal Services EDO Masud Tamanna told The Express Tribune that if the aforesaid offices raise any objection to the commercialisation of properties on any of the roads, the objection will be discussed in the next meeting of the committee.

In August, the City District Government had reduced the commercialisation charges for properties valued at less than Rs10m. They previously charged a flat 20 per cent rate for the conversion of a residential property to a commercial property. The fee is to be reduced to five per cent of the value of the property for properties valued at up to Rs1m and 10 per cent for properties valued at up to Rs10m.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2012.