Building control: WCLA razes three illegal constructions

The demolished plazas were in Rang Mehal, near Fort Road and near Haveli Mian Khan.

LAHORE: Walled City of Lahore Authority’s building control cell partially demolished three illegally-built plazas on Tuesday.

One of the plazas demolished was near Haveli Mian Khan, the second was in Rang Mehal and the third was opposite Ali Park, on Fort Road.

Building Control Director Javed Iqbal Bajwa told The Express Tribune that the cell was going to demolish all illegal constructions in the Walled City. He said of the 22,000 buildings in the area, only 1,100 high-heritage buildings remained. He said land use in the Walled City had changed because of the illegal constructions.

“We are adding land use data to the geographical information system,” he said.

The WCLA has served 220 notices, registered 180 cases and sealed 50 illegally-built plazas till date. He said 94 complaints had been submitted before competent courts.

Bajwa said the building control cell was monitoring areas where people might erect illegal structures. “We have teams surveying these areas day and night to keep a check on the land mafia... several plaza owners are now having a hard time because of us.”

Bajwa said they were trying to clamp down on the practice of constructing encroachments during the night. People have become alert because of the raids and the surveillance, he said. “It is a hard task but we are working to save our heritage.”

Enforcement Assistant Director Muhammad Rizwan said they were monitoring construction activities in the Walled City. He said most encroachers tried to demolish old constructions and erect new ones in the Walled City during the night.  “This is why our special teams have been monitoring these areas during the night.”

Assistant Director Tajullah said they observed donkey carts in the areas. “Local contractors use donkey carts to transport construction material because the streets are narrow and most vehicles can’t pass through them.” He said their teams often followed these donkey carts to illegal constructions in the Walled City. When contacted for comment, the owner of one of the buildings sealed in this case said the matter was subjudice so he couldn’t comment on it. Another building’s owner refused to comment.

Officials of the building control cell include Javed Iqbal Bajwa, Tajullah, Rizwan and Enforcement Inspector Abdul Aziz.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27^th, 2014.