LDA Proposes Stiff Penalties for Illegal Housing Projects in Lahore

The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) is set to impose heavy fines and land-use conversion charges on illegal housing schemes that were built in green areas later reclassified as residential or mixed-use zones under the Lahore Division Master Plan 2050.

Developers of such schemes would have to pay the penalties or face further regulatory action before any regularisation can occur.

Housing projects that remain in zones still designated as green will continue to be illegal and will not be regularised.

According to Dawn, a senior LDA official said several housing schemes were built unlawfully in green areas, where plot owners quickly erected homes and moved in, and commercial facilities also sprang up to serve residents.

The official added that later conversion of some green areas into brown zones created difficulties for developers who had legally bought land at higher prices and invested in development.

To tackle this, authorities have suggested strict penalties and land-use conversion charges to deter illegal building and protect developers who follow the law.

The official stressed that no regularisation will be permitted for illegal schemes that stay within designated green areas, and action will be taken against them.

The Lahore Division Master Plan 2050, completed in 2022, had its implementation halted by the Lahore High Court in January 2023 after a legal challenge.

In February, the LDA governing body approved the plan's completion after negotiating with consultants over the Rs320 million cost demanded following a court order.

The plan maps Lahore's future urban growth, proposing a new city centre in Gulberg and covering Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur and Nankana Sahib, with emphasis on housing, transport, health, education, agriculture, industry and infrastructure.

Recently, the Environment Department and LDA held a public hearing to collect input on the plan's environmental impact and urban development issues.

Officials said public suggestions and feedback from the Environment Department are being folded into the planning process.