New city to be developed on Lahore’s outskirts

LAHORE: Lahore will shortly have a sprawling new town to be developed by an Abu Dhabi based construction firm across the river Ravi in the northwest of the city.

To this end, Abu Dhabi Group and the Government of Punjab on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop the housing project over an area of 30,000 acres. Akhlaq Ahmed Tarar, Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general, and Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak al Nahayan, Abu Dhabi group chairman, signed the MoU at Chief Minister’s Secretariat. Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Chief Secretary Kamran Rasool, Finance Secretary Salman Siddique and a number of other dignitaries from both sides were at the ceremony.

Briefing reporters later, Kamran Rasool said that the land from Ravi Syphon to Faizpur Interchange and Ravi Bridge had been identified for the project after properly surveying the entire area.

He said the chief minister had set a timeframe of three months to put a regulatory system in place for the project. He said the project was part of the government’s vision to improve facilities for people, and was not a commercial scheme being launched just to earn profit.

“The project is aimed at fulfilling people’s residential needs at affordable rates for which land will not be acquired through coercion. The owners of the land will be given attractive packages,” he said.

Rasool said that ready-to-develop plots would be provided under the project. The chief secretary said that a freshwater lake would also be part of the project, the model of which was being prepared at the Nandipur research centre. He said that plans to set up an education and sports city were being prepared, and the government would provide the latest educational facilities by encouraging standard domestic and foreign educational institutions for this purpose. app

this also were bahria lake city will be located, which is hugeeeee.

Awesome.

memorandum of understanding (MoU) for establishing Lake View City Housing Scheme on 30,000 acres land was signed between the Punjab government and the Abu Dhabi Group.

Punjab Finance Secretary Salman Siddiq in a briefing on the project said that this mega project would be constructed on 30,000 acres land near Shahdara.

------------------------------

shahdara is also suppose to have a new awsome food street.

WoW.
this city is gone crazy man, lahore is offical booming.

No its on the outskirts

I hate travelling out of Lahore!

I was just wondering. With such a shortage of water in Pakistan, how do they intend on making an artificial lake for Bahria Town? Where will they get the water from?

Someone asked this question in the Bahria Town thread on the International forums, someone mentioned that they are going to draw water from one of the 5 rivers of Punjab. Now if such is the case then wont they be wasting our resources on a housing scheme when it could be used in Power generation or for irrigation or any one of the numerous other uses?

This new scheme in which their actually building a city right beside a lake sounds better though. Could someone please shed some light on this?

they will cut out a lake from the river ravi.

they will cut out a lake from the river ravi.

Malik Riaz will build the lake city not Pervaiz Musharraf. He cant cut out a lake from ravi.

The article say its on the out skirts but it will be very close to old Lahore.

:weirdo: :weirdo:

PARVAIZ MUSHARAF :nuts: :weird: :weird:

Malik Riaz will build the lake city not Pervaiz Musharraf. He can cut out a lake from ravi.

The article say its on the out skirts but it will be very close to old Lahore.

What do you mean?

The side where this housing scheme will pop up is not developed. The main city ends at ravi and no housing project or something like that is located after Ravi.

:weirdo: :weirdo:

PARVAIZ MUSHARAF :nuts: :weird: :weird:

SPELLINGS (http://www.lahore.gov.pk/president.htm)

Pakboy you think Malik Riaz is ruler of the country. He is just a business man just like thousands of others. Dont you have some common sense. A private housing scheme cutting a lake from Ravi ARE YOU CRAZY! I think you should really start thinking seriously about using your brain, that is if you have one.

haha its waqas also made the spelling mistake but editted it lol

Pervaiz Musharraf

SPELLINGS (http://www.lahore.gov.pk/president.htm)

Pakboy you think Malik Riaz is ruler of the country. He is just a business man just like thousands of others. Dont you have some common sense. A private housing scheme cutting a lake from Ravi ARE YOU CRAZY! I think you should really start thinking seriously about using your brain, that is if you have one.


maybe you need reading lessons, but malik riaz is CEO of bahria town and no one called him ruler of the country, he maybe ruler of bahria town but that does not make him ruler of pakistan, ruler of pakistan is pervaiz musharaf and will remain pervaiz musharaf. so maybe you need to use your common sense if you have any.

and the lake being cut out from ravi river to lake view city is part of the master for lake view city, and its being made by dhabi group. so i think you should start using your brain KID.

haha its waqas also made the spelling mistake but editted it lol

Pervaiz Musharraf


well yes he just a little kid who goes school so i think we should just ignore him.

yes ignore the kids please and keep this forum clean.

anyway, wens construction gona be completed on this.

Okay kids,

So whats the new city called ? Lake View City ? Thats part of the $11bn project of Bahria Town. So, whats this 'new city' that Dhabi Group and Punjab Govt have teamed up to build ? Like whats it called ? any name ?

:)

lake view city is to be made by dhabi group and the govt, its gona be like a new city.

bahria town will make an area inside there.

well yes he just a little kid who goes school so i think we should just ignore him.

For your information I study in King Edward Medical College, First professional badge M.

lake view city is to be made by dhabi group and the govt, its gona be like a new city.

bahria town will make an area inside there.

What should I say, Reviewing your responses from the last posts I think its better to keep quiet.

wat are you the guard dog at king edward medical college.

yep its better to keep quite cos we are fed up with your barking, WOOF WOOF.

looks like u guys spend more time fighting than talking about development projects in pakistan

by the way its my first day here and all i see in a lot of forums which have a rendering about a project and than all i see is people arguing..oh and pakboy does a real good job at that tallking trash....nice job keep it up and keep all the foreigners so "not" interested in our forums and keep the good job of isolating it with all your crap.

wat are you the guard dog at king edward medical college.

yep its better to keep quite cos we are fed up with your barking, WOOF WOOF.
Guard dog lol wtf

by the way its my first day here and all i see in a lot of forums which have a rendering about a project and than all i see is people arguing..oh and pakboy does a real good job at that tallking trash....nice job keep it up and keep all the foreigners so "not" interested in our forums and keep the good job of isolating it with all your crap.
UPK's guard dog is here now

I hate people with multiple IDs from the same site stating the same bullshit over and over

thats wat sensible people can expect from a person like you....keep on talking...just hope u realised u were the one barking. and yea u can ban me from these forums koz i aint visiting places which have jackasses like u here.,

wat are you the guard dog at king edward medical college.

yep its better to keep quite cos we are fed up with your barking, WOOF WOOF.

No offense meant dude. But if you read the whole thread over, your the one who did the 'woof woof'

Woof woof = barking

And if you did the 'woof woof', that means, your the only one barking in here.

Stop the fighting guys. Talk about projects, not fights. Thank You.

thats wat sensible people can expect from a person like you....keep on talking...just hope u realised u were the one barking. and yea u can ban me from these forums koz i aint visiting places which have jackasses like u here.,
Ok Sultan wtvr you say!

You always whine that u will leave

No offense meant dude. But if you read the whole thread over, your the one who did the 'woof woof'

Woof woof = barking

And if you did the 'woof woof', that means, your the only one barking in here.

Stop the fighting guys. Talk about projects, not fights. Thank You.
Then GTF out of here!

We dont need you here your the reason of this fighting

lol.. kids kids kids.. some barely grow up..

anyways, when does this project take off ?

haha we are kids when your the one who is hated by the majority of members here

welcome back its_waqas.

and sultan if you noticed, since the first day you joined here in july 2004, all you have been doing is barking, yep WOOF WOOF.

what's happening here :hammer: :hammer: :hammer:

Is that one would expect in the forum about such a nice project. :bash:

ohhh boy we got a troll problem here again

hello friends. I have joined today. I am very thankful to and an admirer of Pakboy who provided information on the site about lahore. I am still doing experiments about how to contact a member and how to give vies or replies . So guide me please. will this message be displayed in the thread or discussion about Bahria town?

thank you huma, i have also recived your pm.

I'm too lazy to browse the whole forum to search for the respective threads to post updates... so... here goes nothing:

Hold yer hearts tightly - as this news is bound to break quite a few hearts!!!

The planned city on the outskirts of Lahore by Emaar has been cancelled!!! All the land that Emaar had acquired is now up for sale!!

BUT... <later ;)>


(let speculation galore begin...)

P.S. I'll post updates as they come through... I'm really busy these days with work, so pardon me for being slooooow... :)

well not really, the project has gone back to bahria town, as malik riaz has conviced parvaiz elahi to give it back to him, and this is much better news as now the city will be 50,000 acres before it was 30,000 acres, plus bt will use the profits for future projects in pak, not take it back to dubai.

btw i have posted some updates in pictures in my thread in landscapes and phots.

Huit,

What is the source of your information ?

Well, here's what happened... the Sikh immigrants of UK and USA have offered CM Pervaiz Elahi a sort of a deal. They've asked CM to construct a new town/city and an airport next to Nankana and a high-way from Wagah/Lahore to Nankana. And in return they'll invest in setting up factories in that area.

So the project hasn't been really cancelled - its been modified. The city will now be constructed next to Nankana sahib. A dual-carriage way from Lahore to Nankana is already under construction.

Pakboy might be right about the Bahria Town thingy, not sure though.
btw, I believe my source is fairly trustworthy - but don't be 100% sure about it.

I had the opportunity of going through the new underpass at Dharampura. It certainly is long but I must say that this one is probably the worst one workmanship-wise.

well malik riaz has said in his latest documentry that lake city will now be made on 50,00 acres in the north east of lahore, so i think the project just got better.

Well, here's what happened... the Sikh immigrants of UK and USA have offered CM Pervaiz Elahi a sort of a deal. They've asked CM to construct a new town/city and an airport next to Nankana and a high-way from Wagah/Lahore to Nankana. And in return they'll invest in setting up factories in that area.

So the project hasn't been really cancelled - its been modified. The city will now be constructed next to Nankana sahib. A dual-carriage way from Lahore to Nankana is already under construction.

Pakboy might be right about the Bahria Town thingy, not sure though.
btw, I believe my source is fairly trustworthy - but don't be 100% sure about it.

I understand that Nankana Sahib is like 'Mecca' for the sikhs. Developing Nankana Sahib is a good idea. This could also lead to a lot of sikh immigrants in Pakistan.

well the town of ganda singh, is also to under-go a major change, as this will be the second mainland trade route after wagah, many real estate developers have allready purchase huge amounts of land there. A four lane expressway is allready under constructure, it is also near choudhry shujaat hussains and pervaiz elahis 250 acre farmhouse.

also a 2 months ago a private party brought 2,700 acres of land (the entire village of ladhke neewain) for 5.8 billions rupees, watch out for a new housing project there soon.

well i'm a little confused here......i thght the land purchased by EMAAR was on the Shahdara side....n the land Riaz Malik talks abt is on the Ferozpur Road.....is it ONE land or two different places.....???

Yaar I cant remember, Malik Riaz did mention the 50,000 acre Lake city in the latest interview but Ive forgot the location (Not sure but I think he said Raiwind Road,or he might have said that for Springs, but springs hadnt been proposed by then, cant remember So confused).

ye springs is on raiwind road, and no there isnt even 50,000 acres availble on raiwind road or anywere near it.

and EMAAR never purchased no land, the land is the punjab goverments. its location is in north-east lahore, on the canal. it will be called bahria lake city.

Well Malik Riaz does has plans for Lake City but can you confirm that EMAAR has backed-off (any source)?

I think that Bahria will do a much better job than EMARR, Bahria should get it.

There's absolutely NO sign of construction at SZC site. Infact, that place now looks like abandoned - even the rendering is no longer on the site. I could see grass/shrubs have grown on that flattened site. Wonder whats happening?

Somebody please demolish Ahad Tower's structure if they don't complete it within next two months!!! Its been over 18 months now! They've even dug up the road next to the under-construction plaza. Big City too is taking ages to complete.

well big city is suppose to open by end of this year, thats the date given by them.

emaar were having some problems with the goverment.

well i dont see any big development happening in nankhana, the most will be a small housing scheme of 50 houses or so. the population of the city is in 100s and sikhs come on only 1 day of the year, and no its not there mecca, there mecca is the golden temple in amritsir, so it should be a small development.

Somebody please demolish Ahad Tower's structure if they don't complete it within next two months!!! Its been over 18 months now! They've even dug up the road next to the under-construction plaza. Big City too is taking ages to complete.

I agree....projects at the boulevard are going at snails pace now a days....
i dont no wut they are upto....
the MCB Tower near it is also taking too long to be completed.

I also noted that construction of almost every project goes really slow, also people consider it "NORMAL" for a 12 storey building to be completed in 3 years.

In SZC's case I think designs havent been presented to LDA for approval because its a big project and when that happens I expect the media to cover it. All the commercialization fee stuff is taken care after the design has been presented to LDA. There was related news in "THE NEWS" that called the project "DHABI TOWERS".

well this consturction boom in lahore is new, so everything was going slow, but its getting much better with more competition, now new buildings are trying to complete in 18 months.

and it doesnt matter how big SZC is, cos there company EMAAR are even bigger and they had said that construction was to begin in may, but now its been 5 months and still nothing, i really didnt expect that from emaar.

and what was the news in 'THE NEWS'

maybe they have changed the designs or have just left pakistan.

^I couldnt find the news on their website but it had information about Bank Alfalah opening new branches and in the end it was written "Abu Dhabi group will construct the tallest building in Pakistan which they have named "Dhabi Towers".

If there is no update on the project within 2 months then its pretty much dead.

well maybe the LDA needs some of the 91 kanals now for the wideing of the road for ring road, so there in trouble..

^There is atleats 25 feet of space between main ferozpur road and SZC's plot. (Ferozpur road already has 5 lanes on each side of the road, so no problem there)

I think that Dhabi group inaugrated the project in a hurry while it was still in the planning phase as Sheikh Nahyan was already in Pakistan (For Warid Telecom). The decision of handing over the land to Dhabi group was made in april and the land was officially given in may, I think that we will hear more about this prject in the next two months.

they did it in no hurry, the plot was handed over to dhabi group in september last year, they only announced it one year so everyone thinks that it started in aprill. But i remember reading in the jung in september that the imax site has changed from there because that plot has been given to dhabi group for a big project. They had way more then enought time for the planning.

^Yeah but no plans were given to LDA for approval by 5th June, dunno what happened after that.

imax cinema site is on mm alam road near mini market the land next to cafe zouk resturent.If u r in lahore then why dont know about projects of lahore.constrction work of dugging the ground is started.

^^^

that was complete long time ago, 3 story underground car park is also complete.

imax cinema site is on mm alam road near mini market the land next to cafe zouk resturent.If u r in lahore then why dont know about projects of lahore.constrction work of dugging the ground is started.

I know IMAX is on MM Alam, we are talking about Sheikh Zayed Complex not the IMAX.

does anyone have any updates on cavlary ground, i heard there is a shopping mall u/c there, anyone know about it, and is there any new underpasses there, cos its quite conjested in some areas.

http://lahore.metblogs.com/photos/Emaar.jpg

http://lahore.metblogs.com/photos/Slum.jpg


these 2 pictures were taken in july at the SZC site, now as you can see in the second picture there are tents, well homless people live there and since the land has been lying there for the last 20 years they have been living there since then and are not letting the goverment give the land to emaar.
now the cm has ordered a bulldozer to go on site and destroy the whole area.
it was done before, but they came back.

well i found this quite interesting so decided to post it, has anyone been here before?
---------------

A breath of fresh air
Lahorites are taking in great gulps of... oxygen

http://jang.com.pk/thenews/sep2005-weekly/nos-11-09-2005/images/1a54.jpg

By Aatekah Mir

Lahore's Oxygen Bar and Green Tea Lounge promises not just one but quite a few breaths of fresh air. The brainchild of M. Irfan Khan, a bio-medical engineer by profession, the bar is a welcome addition to the few places in Lahore where people can go to unwind without indulging in food. Khan got the idea of opening an Oxygen Bar while he was in Singapore, where "it is a very popular concept," he says.

As soon as you enter the lounge, the first thing that hits you is the different aromas. The next thing that catches your attention is the blue bar with different beakers containing coloured bubbling liquids, with three very comfortable-looking chairs in front. For a minute you wonder whether you are in a science lab, yet the aromas in the air will definitely dispel that doubt. The place, from the curtains to the lamps is tastefully decorated in earthy tones. With subtle lighting and soothing music playing, the ambience created is a comfortable one and guarantees 'relaxation, restoration and refreshment'. Even though the place is small, it's cozy not suffocating, like most of the retreats popping up in the city these days.

If you decide to try oxygen at the bar, you have 12 different flavours to choose from, including peppermint, spearmint, lemongrass, dewberry, apple, grapefruit and cinnamon. The only uncomfortable part is having the nasal cannula placed in your nose. The rest is easy: just breathe normally. Even though, it seems hard to believe that you can get a kick out of inhaling oxygen, it is true. You can almost trace the oxygen's path in your body and feel the relaxation. Along with taking oxygen you can have your eyes and feet massaged while listening to soothing music.

Hassan Raza claims that visiting the lounge is more of a 'fashion statement' than anything else, something that Khan does not disagree with. He says that inhaling oxygen is now becoming similar to having sheesha, something that the young generation has labeled as 'cool.'

If oxygen is not the thing for you, then you can choose from a menu of a variety of green teas that are sure to soothe you, even in the scorching summers. In addition to the green teas, the only other items on the menu are mineral water, black tea, coffee and a homemade dessert to go with them.

Sana, a teenager was of the view that the lounge is a good idea but should have more food on the menu. "The ambience is good and one feels like coming and relaxing here. Yet, one's not always in the mood for oxygen or green tea," she says. According to Khan, he has, on purpose kept food items out of the menu. "The entire idea is to have a place where one can relax, not a cafe. Secondly, food is likely to damage the aromas that we are known for," he says. He recognises the fact that in Lahore there's hardly any idea of recreation without having food. However, he says that the purpose of the lounge is to challenge the cliche. "In fact, while some people come and ask me to add food items to the menu, there are many who have commended me on my effort and have appreciated the thought behind the project," he declares proudly, "Even if more food is added in a year or so, it will be healthy food like salads, so that the inspiration remains intact."

Irfan Khan is flooded with requests to open oxygen bars in Karachi and Islamabad, something which he is working on these days. With the idea gaining popularity in the city and attracting the attention of other cities, we might see a positive change in the way that recreation is perceived.

The Oxygen Bar and Green Tea Lounge is located at 267-Y, DHA, Lahore

BAD NEWS

work on IMAX has stopped and for the past four months there is no development on it apparently the residents protested against it and the government is having second thoughts.
-----------------------------

well i got this from an other forum, is this true.

^ I don't think so... but I think somebody should confirm it.

can you get it confired as your in lhr.

I don't pass-by it very often... its kinda away from my daily route.

I was in Lahore today, just came back, I saw the site for IT Tower, its adjacent to Fazal Trade centre, the site is small, looked no more than 2 kanal.

There is an unnamed construction site on MB, it has lots of basements, It could be the 412Ft one that LDA approved in March.

Jeff Heights is doing good, its 8th floor is being done now.

Aashiana is still at groud floor.

Salaar's structure is almost complete.

Didnt manage to see SZC's site.

Bamboo wire frame is being installed at Big City for the installation of Glass.

do you know if big city has a cineplex init?

btw, wat is the problem with aashiana, its been like that since last year.

and urban developers claim the plot for IT tower is 6 kanals.

also get some updates on imax center.

in todays nawai-waqt a news item has published according to which a company named tameer limited is going to construct a high rise building on MB gulberg Lahore. Height of the building is 412 ft. & it would be 38 storeyed building. completion time of the project is 30 months. An australian firm crown harter will also participate in the project. CEO of the project Ali A malik has said that he is very sentimental about the project and he will complete it with national spirit. Exact location of the project is not mentioned.

wat would the building be for,

I dont know about the cineplex, and IT Towers' site could be 6 Kanal, its site office was U/C, land on both sides of the site office is empty, may be urban developers own both of the plots.

IMAX is being built on a plot which is actually a park in the master plan of Gulberg, maybe someone has challanged its construction in the court.

and Dervash thanx for the update on the 412Ft Tower, Ive been waiting soo long for this project.

did you go past the imax site.

concrete structure for Screen of IMAX theatre is almost complete. The have completed digging the land for basement parking. Work is going at very slow pace.
connection of niazi chowk interchange with bund road is also complete.underpass is also construted under that link.
No construction activity is going on SZC Land Lahore.
No contruction activity on site of Bab-e-Pakistan. But accroding to consultant Amjad Mukhtar it is expected to start in Dec 2005

well my cosin went passed the imax center site today and told me there were alot of workers working on the site.

where exactly is this IMAX Centre??

where exactly is this IMAX Centre??
__________________
It is located on Main MM Alam Road near Mini Market round about.

update on SZC in lahore is that the project is on but inaugration was pre-mature, there will be a new board coming up on the site which will give more details about construction start/end, and maybe a new design will be displayed. quite a few corporates have enquired from them about booking space, some of whom are from UAE with business interests in Pakistan.

also dhabi group who own, bank alfalah will be launching a housing scheme in lahore soon under the bank alfalah name and will be international standards like lake city/bahria town.

also can someone tell me in footpaths have been made around the mall, i had heard last year that they were starting to make them in gulberg and gona do whole of lahore after that.

south-west lahore is really developing fast.

check out this map
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1127378016.jpg

sports city should also be on one of those islands.

Sale of 64 Kanals
Lahore: Ministry of Defence, has invited expression of interest or sale up to 64 Kanals of Land located at the Junction of Mall Road, Aziz Bhatti Road and Server Road, which is only 5 minutes drive from New Airport . The site is located just behind Rahat Bakery Complex.

Last date of submission of expression of interest is October 8, 2005 along with a draft of 10,000/- in favour of QMG Fund.

Pre Auction Conference will be held on October 13, 2005 at Garrison Officers Mess., Tufail Road, Lahore Cantt and Open Auction will be held at the same venue on October 17, 2005.

For further information and clearification, please contact on the Following Phone No:

Director Land Disposal Cell: 051-561 31150 & 051-561 31547
The Military Estate Officer: 042-922 0231

Pace wins plot near Airport

LAHORE: Pace Pakistan Limited has been awarded the 5.08 acre Plot ‘A’ near Lahore Airport for its highest bid of Rs 1 billion.

The Ministry of Defence in collaboration with the Government of Pakistan had recently announced an auction of plots at prime locations near Lahore Airport, opposite the Rangers Headquarters. pr

^ What was the area of the Falleti's and the price it was sold on?

area i first heard was 50 kanals, later it was reported at 65 kanals and it was sold at 10 million dollars, this one is on about 40 kanals, but i dnt think any high riser is possible here because of the airport, maybe it would be a big mall.

btw any updates on flatiss hotel.

this plot maybe more expensiver then what flatis hotel went for, but remember that was 2 years ago, the price for flatis must be around 20 million dollars now.

Seems like Lahore is going to be the main place of business in Pakistan for the foreseable future.

^I dont think that 2 plots can change things so quickly for a city like Lahore, Lahore has a long way to go, currently it is not even considered the business centre of Punjab but things have really changed in the last 5-6 years and now Lahore is being developed as a business hub of Punjab, Punjab Govt. is taking special interest in developing Lahore as a business city.

Big City's interior is like 95% complete, it has even been painted, all the wood work has been installed, the exterior has lots of work to be done, seems like glass hasnt arrived yet.

Rabi Centre's front is 90% complete, the glass has no orange in it, its dark blue, sides are still bare concrete.

Aashiana is finally rising, Salaar Centre has just 1 storey to go, Jeff Heights is also doing well.

2 Unnamed U/C buildings are also rising.

Boulevard heights is rising slowly.

ROLEX building is complete.

Ahad Tower is still at the 3rd floor, the owner is still blocking the cut to Ferozpur Road (Influencial person so LDA cant do anything about it).

Didnt manage to see I.T Tower site.

rabi center glass was orange from the center in the rendering because it showed that lights were on from inside.

also what is the rolex building

^Its a building full of watches (really expensive) and nothing else. Its next to empire centre.

you mean rolex watches,

can you also get update on imax center and target trade center on jail road.

also has construction on pace tower started yet.

and can you try and get pictures please.

I was there for only a day, didnt go to M.M.Alam, Target trade centre is at 2nd-3rd floor (even though it was announced way back, its construction started recently).

As for PACE Tower Ive heard that construction will gain momentum early next year.

^^^ Aren't they still workin on the Basement in TTC....?

^Well when I saw it 1st floor was being done a month ago.

IT Tower has been approved at 23 storey (20 Over Ground). Contract for construction will be awarded in early dec, currently they are inviting tenders.

IT Tower:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/bigpics/ITT.jpg

looks nice a modern, how many lanes is the road wats its being built on

^Its being built on a corner plot, the road is 4 lanes on the front and 2 lanes on the side. Its just 200-250 ft from Hafeez Centre (Main Boulevard).

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2005/11/20/20051120_05.jpg

^ Harbanspura is the place where they plan to build a sports city. Its in Lahore but I've never been there.

Any news on Shad Bagh?

We need the shimla Bahari area's fixed up now to the left of the Lahore Railroad

i thought the lahore sports city is planned on the banks of the river ravi.

IT Tower:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/bigpics/ITT.jpg

Looks Nice!!

pace tower has started 3 months ago.they are digging up the ground.work is going on pace tower is very fastly and i think that will complete before boulevered heights.

I.T tower rendering looks beautiful like boulevered heights.

"thought the Lahore sports city is planned on the banks of the river ravi"

PAKBOY other friend is right it close to harpanspura then Ravi. Lahore Sports city is going to be built between Harbanspur and Manawan town in Lahore(Just before dental collage).It will be between GT Road and canal.

A five start hotel a multi use multi billions Rs stadium and many other goodies are part of the plan.Govt is now buying land in the area.So I expect the more good news in 2006 for this project.

===============================

Fixed colors of IT Tower to see it clearly

http://www.pakrealestatetimes.com/attachment.php?aid=786

wutz da location of IT Tower??

pace tower has started 3 months ago.they are digging up the ground.work is going on pace tower is very fastly and i think that will complete before boulevered heights.

I wont agree with her at this stage. Usually the excavation process takes lesser time as now more advanced mechanical tools and machineries are used during excavation. Once the excavation is done, the substructure needs to be laid. The load of a multi storey building is very high and it needs to be transfered safely onto hard ground. For this purpose 'pile foundations' are used. Depending on the load of the building, the number of piles are designed. Now that will determine the speed of construction. The piles are dug to a depth until hard rock or compacted soil is found deep inside earth. The depth of the pile diging and their number will determince time. Taking example of the ISE Tower in Isb, the two towers had about 700piles, since the soil capacity of islamabad is different as compared to lahore, and the number of piles in Boulvard height is 4 or 8, but still they takin so much time. It took like 8-9 months juss to finish piling in the ISE Towers.

But lets keep our fingers crossed cauz once the floors are laid, it take more time fer interior finishing to take place.

pace tower has started 3 months ago.they are digging up the ground.work is going on pace tower is very fastly and i think that will complete before boulevered heights.

I.T tower rendering looks beautiful like boulevered heights.


well it depends on how fast the companies work.

boulvard heights gave 2008 as completion date from the start, os it was obvious they would work slow.

pace said it will take 22 months therfore it would have been much faster.

17 storey big city mall,7-9 storey rabi centre,13 storey park lane tower,10 storey hassan tower,11 storey ashrafi heights,12 storey mega tower are going to open in few months.
work on 15 storey jeff heights is also going very fastly and would except to open in one year.
what about ahad tower?

Ahad tower hahaha it not a tower its a joke! !

^^ what do you mean...care to explain?

has anyone seen bata city on mm alam road, is it any good?


and can someone please get pictures?

ya i also heard.bata has opened Pakistan largest shoe store on mm alam road Lahore with latest variety.

best western hotel have lost there frenchise liecene and are now called best westen, without the r.

^^ :lol:

will anybdy in lahore send any pics from highrise building or spot to have an aeriel view of places like gulberg and davis, egertrn roads

Everything from news to project updates can be put in here!

Current projects include several bar restaurants, new houses, the historic conversion of a hotel with contemporary interiors, an Aboriginal complex in the Kimberly and a 20-storey bank for the UAE in Lahore, Pakistan. Says Dale Jones-Evans.

http://completehome.com.au/?p=4847&cid=7641&pid=142696

UAE bank ehh? It'll probably be Bank Al-Falah... or it could be UBL or Union Bank (they're both owned (partially?) by Emiratis). Anyhow, that's a good news!

I think its Al-Falah because UBL has already approved a tower on I.I.Chundigar. Anyways I hope the design is really modern and the building is in Gulberg/Jail road area.

offcourse that is alfalah bank,because that is only bank which have its head office in lahore while other banks have their head offices in lslamabad and Karachi.
Alfalah should have a good highrise in lahore.

WB to give Rs600m for Lahore project: Heritage conservation


By A Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Feb 2: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi here on Thursday said the World Bank would provide Rs600 million for the conservation and restoration of Lahore’s historical and cultural heritage.

Presiding over a meeting, he said an autonomous institution would be set up under the planning and development department chairman, Salman Ghani, which would give a practical shape to the project, says a press release issued by the Punjab government.

The chief minister said Lahore’s cultural heritage was of international significance and its conservation would further increase its attraction for foreign tourists and local citizens.

He said financial resources would be made available to the citizens of the walled city for promotion of their traditional skills and handicrafts. He said in order to improve the traffic system, encroachments would be removed and the roads would be widened.

He said new traffic signals would be installed in the city besides improving lighting arrangements.

He said a programme for improving water supply and sanitation system of the city had also been initiated. He said steps were being taken to maintain the architectural beauty, control environmental pollution and streamline traffic system in the city.

These steps, he added, would also improve the standard of living in the city.

The chief minister said restoration of historical and cultural heritage of Lahore would result in promotion of tourism as well as foreign investment. He said the city was an important cultural asset and its uplift would leave a positive impact on the overall economy of the province.


http://www.dawn.com/2006/02/03/nat13.htm

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Nat Geo may film Masjid Wazir Khan’s restoration

LAHORE: The US Embassy in Pakistan may pursue The National Geographic Society to film a documentary on the restoration of Masjid Wazir Khan.

Archaeology Director General Oria Maqbool Jan told Daily Times on Friday that the US Public Affairs Counsellor Peter J Kovach visited Masjid Wazir Khan and mentioned pursuing the National Geographic for a documentary. The US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation for Less Developed Countries gave $ 60,000 to restore Masjid Wazir Khan’s glazed mosaic tiles and lime plaster.

Masjid Wazir Khan is famous for its colourful fresco and mosaic tile decoration in the interior and exterior of the building. Hakim Aliuddin, the Punjab governor in the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s period, who was popularly known as Wazir Khan, built the mosque in 1634. “I have never seen a mosque so beautiful in my 21-year career as a diplomat in Islamic countries,” Kovach was quoted as saying. Jan said that Kovach appreciated the restoration work being carried out by artisans. “It is remarkable. I have never seen work with such technical details ever,” Jan quoted Kovach.

The agreement between the US Embassy and the Punjab Information and Culture Department was signed on June 25, 2002, and US Ambassador Nancy J Powell personally handed over the first instalment of Rs 348,000 to the Punjab chief secretary at that time. The work started about a year ago and the project, which was to be completed in six months, was delayed by the slow work by four expert artisans, all above 60 years of age. “I could see that patience is involved in the work. We never ever imagined that this work is so laborious,” Kovach was quoted as saying. The Archaeology Department assured him that the work would be completed in the next three months. anjum herald gill

Home | National
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\02\04\story_4-2-2006_pg7_10

Ashrafi Heights - Gulberg Main Market

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/AaFaT-Lahore-AshrafiHeights2MainMar.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/404.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/405.jpg

I've seen this building many times. I believe it has been built at a very poor location with absolutely no parking! The building nevertheless is okay, far better than those that surround it.

Parking is a big problem in Lahore as a whole...they build big things and don't have enough room left for parking...I mean...it's becoming chaotic!

that building is ideal for main market, they need buildings like this in main market.

IMAX Inauguration & Rendering

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/AaFaT-Lahore-IMAX-M.jpg

overall view of site
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/425.jpg

looks like car parking basements
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/426.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/427.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/428.jpg

machines on the move
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/429.jpg

Whoa! When did this happen? :eek2:

I am really not into construction and civil engg. but from the looks of those pictures I get the feeling that the construction is of pretty high quality!

Zarina' Shopping Mall

Designed by: Shaukat Nawaz Raja & Assosiates + Saqib Mahmood (Architectural Studio)
Location: 89-A-C II, Liberty Market, Gulberd III
Height:
Parking Floors: 2
TOTAL FLOORS: '8'

rite now they have completed till the ground floor.
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/471.jpg (http://photobucket.com/)

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/469.jpg (http://photobucket.com/)

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/472.jpg (http://photobucket.com/)
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/470.jpg (http://photobucket.com/)


Pix 04-02-06

wats zarina shopping mall, any renders

FAMOUS MALL OPENING

http://famousdevelopers.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=75&g2_serialNumber=2

http://famousdevelopers.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=78&g2_serialNumber=2


CONSTRUCTION PICTURES FROM JANUARY

http://famousdevelopers.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=87&g2_serialNumber=1

http://famousdevelopers.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=90&g2_serialNumber=1

http://famousdevelopers.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=92&g2_serialNumber=1

http://famousdevelopers.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=104&g2_serialNumber=1

Yaar good the IMAX is finnaly U/C!

imax will complete in september this year.construction work is going very fast.

i'll post the renders of Zarina's Shoppin Mall soon.....

i really cant say the IMAX will get completed by Sept '06....but lets keep r fingers crossed

can anyone identify this building

http://static.flickr.com/9/89257136_a2b51aeab6.jpg?v=0

12-15 storey mega tower on main boulevered gulberg

^ correct!

http://dawn.com/2006/02/07/SlideShow/pic24.jpg

LAHORE - February 6, 2006: A view of the Education Expo-2006. — Dawn

"IT Tower - 21 Storeys of Success - Launching Soon" bill boards are all around Lahore.

Also a big bill board of unusual proportions has been erected at the corner of SZC's site, which is currently blank.

Ahad Tower also going good, 8th floor is in progress.

how many total floors have IT tower including basements.
they mentioned 5 basements.22 floors are only over ground or total floors?

"IT Tower - 21 Storeys of Success - Launching Soon" bill boards are all around Lahore.

Also a big bill board of unusual proportions has been erected at the corner of SZC's site, which is currently blank.

Ahad Tower also going good, 8th floor is in progress.


they have got an add for china center around lahore is well which says ''china 0km'' lol

btw whats unusual proportions

^^ Its narrow and tall, usually bill borads are wide rectangles.

Rehman Towers

Designed by: Khalid Abdur Rehman [Landmark Consultants]
Developers: Urban Developers
Contractors:
Height: 120'
Shopping Floors: 3
Appartment Floors: 8
Parking Floors: 0
Total Floors: 21
Location: 9-E, Gulberg-II, Lahore

Rendering
http://www.landmarkpk.com/pics_1%25/14.jpg

Front View from Main Market....estimated time of completion is 4-5month~!
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/511.jpg

Top Floors
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/512.jpg

Framework for cladding
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/513.jpg

Rear side
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/514.jpg

Pix Feb 2006

Hassan Tower between Pace & Fazal Centre

7th storey Underconstruction
http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/501.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/502.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f298/techno-architect2/Lahore%20UC/503.jpg


Pix Feb2006

nice addition in gulberg skyline

can anyone identify this building

http://static.flickr.com/9/89257136_a2b51aeab6.jpg?v=0

Isn't Singular a mobile phone service provider? :S

Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\02\12\story_12-2-2006_pg7_18

Transit rail’s technical feasibility report: Punjab govt awards contract to MVA Asia

* Technical work on $2b project starts, will be completed by end of May
* 12km from Kalma Chowk to Bhaati Gate will run underground

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The Punjab government has awarded the contract for carrying out the technical feasibility of the Mass Transit Rail Service (MTRS) in the city to Hong Kong-based construction firm MVA Asia, Punjab government sources told Daily Times on Saturday.

Technical work on the estimated $2 billion project had started, sources said, adding that the under the proposed MTRS plan about 350,000 people would be facilitated daily and that the project would cover 27 square kilometres of the city.

Interestingly, after a lot of discussion on weather Lahore should have an elevated, underground or surface monorail system, consultants were considering an underground system, sources added.

It was also proposed that 12 kilometres of track from Kalma Chowk to Bhaati Gate would run underground, sources said.

The project’s technical study would be completed by the end of May 2006, sources said, adding that the Punjab government had started two transport projects including the Ring Road and MTRS to facilitate Lahoris.

Sources said that besides MVA Asia’s help with the MTRS project, which was being supervised by the Punjab Transport Department, NESPAK was providing technical consultation for the Ring Road project, which was being supervised by the Punjab Communication and Works (C&W) Department.

The Punjab chief minister had asked the Punjab Planning and Development Department to coordinate with the C&W and Transport Departments to avoid technical differences over both projects, sources added.

If the MRTS project was inaugurate by 2007, it would be completed by the end of 2012, sources said. However, they refused to disclose the sources that were funding the MRTS project and consultancy fee.

About 10 foreign countries had bid for the international tender for the MTRS project on April 26, 2005, and the Punjab government’s Consultant Selection Committee announced that Transplan SDN BHD and Min Consultants Private Limited from Malaysia, Hamburg Consult Private Limited from Germany and MVA Hong Kong Limited from Hong Kong had qualified for the final bid.

The selection committee consisted of the transport secretary, engineers and financial officials of the Planning and Development Department, Finance Department and Communication and Works Department.

Government circles have been contemplating a mass transit system for Lahore for a long time. The feasibility report of a light rail transit (LRT) system was made by Japanese development organisation JICA in 1991, when Nawaz Sharif was prime minister. It had proposed a 13-kilometre-long LRT system.

The study was reviewed and updated as part of the World Bank funded ‘Lahore Traffic and Transport Studies’ in 1993.

The cost of the system was estimated at about $400 million, but with better network coverage. In 1995 Japan proposed to finance the original scheme with grants and loans of about $495 million, but the project could not be implemented due to various reasons.

The army-led government also worked on such a project in 2000 and a memorandum of understanding was signed, but the project was dropped again.

“I don’t know exactly why the previous projects were shelved, but the 2000 study was dropped because the other party backed out,” one of the sources said.

Mega Tower looks mega in this one (Pic by Techno Architect)

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/8752/megat9zs.jpg

it does look mega by theres been no progress on it since the last 2 years.

Transit rail’s technical feasibility report: Punjab govt awards contract to MVA Asia

* Technical work on $2b project starts, will be completed by end of May
* 12km from Kalma Chowk to Bhaati Gate will run underground

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The Punjab government has awarded the contract for carrying out the technical feasibility of the Mass Transit Rail Service (MTRS) in the city to Hong Kong-based construction firm MVA Asia, Punjab government sources told Daily Times on Saturday.

Technical work on the estimated $2 billion project had started, sources said, adding that the under the proposed MTRS plan about 350,000 people would be facilitated daily and that the project would cover 27 square kilometres of the city.

Interestingly, after a lot of discussion on weather Lahore should have an elevated, underground or surface monorail system, consultants were considering an underground system, sources added.

It was also proposed that 12 kilometres of track from Kalma Chowk to Bhaati Gate would run underground, sources said.

The project’s technical study would be completed by the end of May 2006, sources said, adding that the Punjab government had started two transport projects including the Ring Road and MTRS to facilitate Lahoris.

Sources said that besides MVA Asia’s help with the MTRS project, which was being supervised by the Punjab Transport Department, NESPAK was providing technical consultation for the Ring Road project, which was being supervised by the Punjab Communication and Works (C&W) Department.

The Punjab chief minister had asked the Punjab Planning and Development Department to coordinate with the C&W and Transport Departments to avoid technical differences over both projects, sources added.

If the MRTS project was inaugurate by 2007, it would be completed by the end of 2012, sources said. However, they refused to disclose the sources that were funding the MRTS project and consultancy fee.

About 10 foreign countries had bid for the international tender for the MTRS project on April 26, 2005, and the Punjab government’s Consultant Selection Committee announced that Transplan SDN BHD and Min Consultants Private Limited from Malaysia, Hamburg Consult Private Limited from Germany and MVA Hong Kong Limited from Hong Kong had qualified for the final bid.

The selection committee consisted of the transport secretary, engineers and financial officials of the Planning and Development Department, Finance Department and Communication and Works Department.

Government circles have been contemplating a mass transit system for Lahore for a long time. The feasibility report of a light rail transit (LRT) system was made by Japanese development organisation JICA in 1991, when Nawaz Sharif was prime minister. It had proposed a 13-kilometre-long LRT system.

The study was reviewed and updated as part of the World Bank funded ‘Lahore Traffic and Transport Studies’ in 1993.

The cost of the system was estimated at about $400 million, but with better network coverage. In 1995 Japan proposed to finance the original scheme with grants and loans of about $495 million, but the project could not be implemented due to various reasons.

The army-led government also worked on such a project in 2000 and a memorandum of understanding was signed, but the project was dropped again.

“I don’t know exactly why the previous projects were shelved, but the 2000 study was dropped because the other party backed out,” one of the sources said.


http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\02\12\story_12-2-2006_pg7_18

^^asfar uv'e posted the same news article as huit

woooooooops....sorry about that....my bad

New board has appeared at Sh Zaid center Ferozpur road. showing pics of the proposed buildings.
Work on expo center & imax theatre is going at very fast pace.
Work on ring is also in progress.
work on park on almost 150 kanal of area in front of the new terminal is going at very slow pace.

New board has appeared at Sh Zaid center Ferozpur road. showing pics of the proposed buildings.
Work on expo center & imax theatre is going at very fast pace.
Work on ring is also in progress.
work on park on almost 150 kanal of area in front of the new terminal is going at very slow pace.

can you get pictures

is there any news on the project at flatis hotel site. what is happening with it, its taking soooo long

I think the idea of having a new hotel has been ditched since the the present structure was white washed a few days back. It's now over two years that the subjuct property got auctioned with an understanding that new structure is going to replace the old one in three years time. We had been listening differnet stories that bla, bla, bla is coming there to construct a 55 stories tower consisting of shopping mall, 5 star hotel etc but on ground nothing appears.

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Gulberg Town approves Rs 110m budget

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: Gulberg Town assembly on Friday approved Rs 110 million tax-free budgetary proposals for fiscal year 2005-06.

About Rs 108 million has been assumed under the head of receipts from various taxes during the next five months of fiscal year 2005-06 while Rs 9.4 million has been allocated under the head of expenditures.

About Rs 93.5 million has been fixed for the town’s development expenditures while the town will receive Rs 54.05 million under the head of closing balance from Data Gunj Buksh Town and Nishtar Town. Under the head of receipts, the town administration has assumed an income of Rs 41 million from UPI tax, Rs 30 million from tax on the transfer of immovable property, Rs 15 million under the head of fee for approving building plans and construction and reconstruction of buildings, Rs 10 million from the grant from development works and transition grant from the Punjab government, Rs 4.53 million as fee from the sale of animals at cattle markets, Rs 2.5 million from road cut charges, Rs 2 million from Nishtar Town and Data Gunj Buksh Town as advance, Rs 1 million as parking fee, Rs 1 million as ticketing charges/composition, Rs 500,000 as fee from licenses and permits, Rs 300,000 from fines, Rs 100,000 from rubble rent, Rs 100,000 as miscellaneous of tehsil municipal authority (TMA), Rs 50,000 as tax from hand carts, Rs 10,000 as fee for fairs, agriculture shows, cattle fairs, industrial exhibitions, tournaments and other public events, Rs 10,000 as fee for dramatics and theatrical shows and tickets and Rs 10,000 as profit on bank accounts.

Under the head of expenditures, Rs 5.1million will be spent on contingencies, Rs 2.31 million under the head of miscellaneous and charged and Rs 2 million under the head of establishment charges.

For development expenditures, the town assembly approved a budget of Rs 93.5 million out of which Rs 35 million will be spent for original works of TMA, Rs 23.31 million for development works through citizen community boards, Rs 13 million on the purchase of machinery, office equipments and vehicles, Rs 10 million under the head of purchase for electric instruments, Rs 5.43 million under the head of repair works of TMA, Rs 4 million under the head of patchworks and Rs 2.5 million under the head of restoration of road cuts.

Gulberg Town Nazim Faraz Chaudhry told Daily Times on Friday that the budget was balanced and a surplus one that would match the town’s financial realties. He said 91 percent of the total budget would be spent on development expenditures while only 9 percent would be consumed on non-development expenditures.

Faraz said the above-mentioned percentage allocations for development and non-development expenditures proved that the town administration was following a policy of self-reliance and was avoiding all unnecessary expenditures.

Separately, City District Government Lahore (CDGL) Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood on Friday presided over a meeting of district government officials to review the performance of the campaign against wall chalking and encroachments.

He asked authorities concerned to transfer the computerised weighing machine for waste from Mehmood Booti to some other location because of the construction of the Lahore Ring Road.

Home | National

Guys, what happened with the new Lahore Pearl Continental that everyone was talking about?
Was the project canceled or something?

PSL has give up the idea for the construction of new tower to be constructed in Lahore PC for the time beign since all the funds were deviated to PC-Gawadar & PC-Muzaffarabad.

Lahore: Doongi ground Gulberg-II, Lahore case adjourned for Feb 22


Lahore—The Lahore High Court Monday directed the legal advisor to the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) to produce original approved scheme by the government of the Punjab and sanctioned master plan for February 22 in a plea against construction of a modern cinema at “Doongi Ground” Gulberg-II, Lahore.

The court also directed the Additional Advocate General to produce transfer summary of the ground by the Chief Minister to Punjab Entertainment Company (Guarantee) LTD and resolution passed by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) in this regard.

The court directed the LDA legal advisor to produce previous record on next hearing.

Earlier, the Advocate General submitted that one of the petitioners had moved the court in 2005 and his petition was disposed off.

Petitioner’s counsel argued that his name had inadvertently been included in the array of the petitioners and it was purely a typographical mistake.

He requested the court to allow him to amend the plea and delete the name of the petitioner no. 5 from the petition. Upon which, the court allowed the counsel to do so.

The petition filed through Mansoor Ali Shah, advocate submitted that 6 acres land of Doongi ground near Mini Market, Gulberg was handed over to a company to construct a cinema.

The petitioners submitted that under a 1950 plan of LDA this land was declared park to provide healthy entertainment to the locals. While, the LDA has no jurisdiction to do the same and it was violation of LDA act 1975 and Fundamental rights entrusted in the constitution.

They prayed the court to set aside the order of the transfer of land and direct the respondents to restore the park on it.

Justice Muhammad Saeed Akhtar of the Lahore High Court Monday called for report and comments from Punjab Public Services Commission (PPSC) and Secretary Livestock, Punjab within two weeks on a petition seeking appointment as Research Officer.

The court also restrained the respondent from filling the post. The petition filed by Dr.Muhammad Mazhar Ayaz submitted that he is Ph.D and was selected for Research Officer.

He submitted that the PPSC had sent his recommendations to the Secretary Livestock but he did not accept the recommendations and accommodated Sarwat Naz in his place. He contended that only governor can decline the recommendations of the PPSC and not the secretary.

He argued that the petitioner has only been awarded the minor penalty of stoppage of three increments and on this ground he could not be refused the appointment. He prayed the court to declare the appointment of respondent as illegal and restrain the respondent from filling the post.

Courtsey: http://www.pakobserver.net/200602/21/news/lahore02.asp

PSL has give up the idea for the construction of new tower to be constructed in Lahore PC for the time beign since all the funds were deviated to PC-Gawadar & PC-Muzaffarabad.
Thats a shame, PC laore was really a beautiful design:(
I say the gawadar PC and wasnt all that impressed. Muzafrabad one wasnt all that excitig either...

^^^^

that is not what happened, pc tower in lahore got shelved because cm parvaiz elahi was creating problems as his big house was infront of it.

but later on this year you should hear about another project in lahore by hashoo, they are planning 2 projects, one will be marriot and other will be pc.

Elahi needs to be sacked definetly after these riots.

well instead of the PC tower hashoo group could consturct the same tower somewhere else in lahore and name it marriot....whats the big deal with tht... it would have the same building just different name and location...

^^^^

that is not what happened, pc tower in lahore got shelved because cm parvaiz elahi was creating problems as his big house was infront of it.

but later on this year you should hear about another project in lahore by hashoo, they are planning 2 projects, one will be marriot and other will be pc.
Will these new building also be highrises?

well instead of the PC tower hashoo group could consturct the same tower somewhere else in lahore and name it marriot....whats the big deal with tht... it would have the same building just different name and location...

Hashoo Group had already obtained the land for the PC Tower when all the "Mall road is too historic" thing started and as far as I know they obtained it for 99 years lease and are still paying for it.

BTW I have also heard that Hashoo group has plans for bringing Marriot to Lahore.

Seems like PACE Pakistan has changed its mind again, in last Sunday's Daily Times This render of Pace Towers was advertised.

http://www.worldcall.com.pk/images/pace_tower.JPG

well instead of the PC tower hashoo group could consturct the same tower somewhere else in lahore and name it marriot....whats the big deal with tht... it would have the same building just different name and location...


the main aim was to extend the old hotel as its always packed out.

i heard the PC Tower project has been lauched.....itz now proposed at 50storey!
I need to visit PC to get more info and a brief site visit will confirm the news!

In another news the Rolex company is coming up with a 40+ building on the Main Boulvard which is named as Kingson 3 at the moment. Construction work has started. Itz on the same Road of Kingson 1.

In another news the Rolex company is coming up with a 40+ building on the Main Boulvard which is named as Kingson 3 at the moment. Construction work has started. Itz on the same Road of Kingson 1.


which rolex company is that? the watch company. if yes then what will they use the building for.

yes the Rolex watch company. If u have cn the Wilson 1 on the Main Boulevard, itz fer all branded multi-nationational companies like Rado, Tissot etc. So itz gonna b another mixed used mall plus office. i dont have info abt the apartments yet!

techno are there any renderings for the project...can u take pictures of the cvonstruction site so that we could see the progress and whenlast of all please can you find out when is the completion date.

never hear about this Kingson 3 project...and i go nearly every day through main bulevard i dont knw ther is any building under construction ???????????????? strange news

These are all fake news as no one is in knowledge of such development nor anything published in print media or aired in electronic media.

never hear about this Kingson 3 project...and i go nearly every day through main bulevard i dont knw ther is any building under construction ???????????????? strange news

haawas, has main boulevard been cleared of all rubbish and trash from the riots...or is it still in a mess?

there was another project started next to auriga on main boulevard, construction started on ground works but later the land was sold to someone else, we should see another project starting there soon.

haawas, has main boulevard been cleared of all rubbish and trash from the riots...or is it still in a mess?

yar there was no riots thrash on main boulevard it happened on mall road and ferozpuroad

offcourse,main boulevered is completely safe area.i think riots impossible on main boulevered,jail road,dha and gulberg.

yar there was no riots thrash on main boulevard it happened on mall road and ferozpuroad

thnxz for clearing that up...im glad nothing happened there. btw..are the areas that were affected cleaned up now? i also heard that raiwind area is the best in lahore where some foreign princes have their palaces...is it really that posh? and are there any pics?

Raiwand....Nawaz Sharif'z Palace is there!! Thats the largest in that area!!!

Saturday, February 25, 2006

‘Punjab’s economic plan aimed at providing jobs’

Staff Report

LAHORE: Shamshad Akhtar, State Bank of Pakistan governor, on Friday called on Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi at Chief Minister’s Secretariat and discussed education, health, social development, financial discipline and reforms in various sectors.

Salman Siddique, Punjab chief secretary, and Suleman Ghani, Planning & Development chairman, were also present.

Elahi said a new process of progress and development had been started in the province under private-public partnership. He said the province’s economic planning was aimed at providing employment and alleviating poverty. He said Sundar Industrial Estate, Faisalabad Industrial Estate, Value Addition City and agriculture export processing zones in Sargodha and Multan had been set up under private-public partnership. He said the agriculture sector was being strengthened. He said the provision of facilities by national banks for loans would help implement the Punjab government’s development programmes.

He said the Punjab government had prioritised the improvement of education, health and other sectors of social development and maximum resources had been allocated for the purpose. He said the administrative capacity of all institutions had been increased to improve the system of governance. He said special attention was being paid to human resource development and due significance was being attached to professional training in all sectors. He said the education sector reforms programme was yielding encouraging results and enrolment rate had improved considerably at the primary level, which was proof of the programme’s success. He said the World Bank had called the education sector reforms programme a role model.

He also said Information Technology was being promoted in the province for the smooth functioning of the government machinery and harmonising it with the demands of the modern age. He said the computerisation of land revenue records was being undertaken expeditiously, which would help deal with revenue affairs as well as facilitate people acquire transfer deeds and other property documents.

Shamshad Akhtar said other province should follow the Punjab government’s reforms agenda so that Pakistan could benefit from the programme. She praised the projects of infrastructure development and social development started under private-public partnership.

Salman Siddique gave a review of the pace of the implementation of administrative, financial and development strategies of the Punjab government, saying the private sector had been strengthened due to which it was playing an active role for the province’s development and uplift.

Home | National

Loan for light rail project




By Intikhab Hanif

LAHORE, Feb 25: The Punjab government has started seeking loan from international financial institutions for introducing a multi-billion rupees light rail transit system which is the main part of a mass rapid transport system for the city.

“We have started seeking loan from our development partners and if all’s going well, we can start work on the project by next year, making operational the light rail on the first route from Shahdara to Kot Lakhpat by 2012,” senior government officials said on Saturday.

The plan to introduce a light rail transport system in the city was made in view of a study by JAICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) in the 1980s.

According to the study, the rail service was to be provided from Ravi Road to Kot Lakhpat covering an area of 22 kilometres. The number of stations was 13 and the rail was to be run over an overhead track.

Officials said the service could not be introduced because of problems emerged with regard to its route within the main city which was congested.

The project was again taken up when Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi expressed his desire to launch it last year. The planning and development department called international tenders for a fresh study on the project.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/02/26/nat50.htm

Source: http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/feb2006-daily/26-02-2006/metro/l4.htm

Govt wooing donors to start Mass Transit System

By Babar Dogar

LAHORE: Punjab government has started negotiations with World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other donor agencies to acquire $ 2 billion loans for starting work on 22 km ‘Lahore Mass Rapid Transit System (LMRTS)’ from Shahdara to Kotlakhpat via The Mall.The work will start from 2007 and the officials are expecting that it will be completed till 2012.

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has appreciated the project during a briefing held recently, the sources informed the News.

The system will operate on the surface from Ravi Bridge to Bhatti Gate while it will operate underground from onward via Lower Mall, The Mall to Kot Lakhpat. The system will have 15 stations and it will facilitate 30,000 people after every one hour.

In this regard a Hong Kong based MVA Asia Company has conducted a comprehensive study on the project and presented its report to the government.

The study has proposed four lines in the city to share the traffic burden. The other three lines starting from Multan Road, Model Town and Wahga will be connected with the main-line and each line will cost the government $ 2 billion.

The study further proposed that the preliminary study and reference for the project will cost the government $ 200 million.

Talking to The News, Chairman Planning and Development Suleman Ghani stated that the provincial government has initially decided to give priority to Shahdara-Kotlakhpat line while remaining three lines will be undertaken after the availability of funds.

He said the government can start work on all the four lines provided the donor agencies agreed to extend the required $ 8 billion loans. He said they had started negotiations with the WB, ADB and other donor agencies for the loans and they were hopeful to get atleast $ 2 billion during the current year to start the project.

He said the government wanted to have overhead ‘Lahore Mass Rapid Transit System’ but the study did not term it viable because of too many turns involved in it.

He further stated that government had started consideration on starting light rail transit system in mid 80s when a Japanese development organisation JICA proposed a 13-km LRT system but the project could not be implemented.

Ah damn! Not on the surface! Why not have the whole thing underground.

2012 is way to long, i thought parvaiz elahi said he wanted it complete by end of 2007, which is his last year.

As long as the trains look nice and modern I dont think there is a problem.. I HATE the trains on KCR.. Something along the lines of Kuala Lampoor should be nice.

well they should make it mixed, some on the ground while most of it underground and over ground mono rail like in KL.

im juss wondering how they are going to get a control over the sanitation system.......my point is there is too much urban flooding in lahore n u have at some place 3-6feet water level rising during heavy rainstorms n the storm sewers get choked.......i hope they have thought somethin practical abt it!!!

is there any news on the lahore I.T technolgy park on ferozpur road.

I think monorails look awful. I think a surface tram-system or underground rail/tram system would be way better than a monorail, because if nothing else, monorails are ugly and will contribute to the feeling of overcrowding and unsightliness. I hope that some underground stations could be extended to major sites like Badshahi Masjid, Shalimar Bagh, Anarkali Bazaar etc. in order to accomodate the needs of tourists and residents of the Old City. Admittedly, I'm not familiar with the neighborhoods of Lahore, but the listed stops didn't sound as if they were in the Old City.

Kashmiri.. Have you ever seen Kuala lampoors Monorail...l Its pretty nice dude!

lahore ring road map
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1141313860.jpg

Subsidised sugar for the poor: Another 50 bikes for arson victims




By Our Staff Reporter

LAHORE, March 3: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi announced on Friday a scheme to provide sugar to the poor at subsidised rates.

The scheme will benefit 500,000 families already registered with the government under the subsidised flour package, with each family getting a two-kilogram packet at Rs20 per kg twice a month.

Sugar is being sold at Rs40 per kg in the open market and Rs27.50 per kg at utility stores. Its ex-mill rate, at present, is Rs30 per kg.

Chairing a meeting held to overcome the sugar crisis, the chief minister said mills in the province would provide 100,000 sugar sacks at the rate of Rs25 per kg to the government which in turn would sell it at Rs20 per kg, giving a subsidy of Rs5 on every kilogram. The meeting was also attended by food minister Chaudhry Iqbal, senior officials, Pakistan Sugar Mills Association chairman Zaka Ashraf, Punjab president Shahid Shafi and executive members Mian Waqas and Chaudhry Wahid.

He said the government was devising an effective strategy to keep the sugar price at a reasonable level. He asked the mills to play their role in stabilising the prices.

The chief minister said all DCOs would be responsible for the transparent sale of subsidised sugar under the scheme, ensuring its supply only to the poor and deserving people.

Mr Ashraf appreciated the scheme announced by the chief minister and said the millers would fully cooperate with the government.

bikes: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Friday gave away new motorcycles to another 50 people affected in the Feb 14 violence and said protecting the life and property of the masses was the top priority of the government which it had amply fulfilled.

It was up to the people to open their businesses or close them but the government had to avert unrest at any cost, he said after giving away keys of motorcycles at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

He had given 25 motorcycles last week. As many as 102 motorcycles were burnt during the violent protests against the blasphemous caricatures on Feb 14.

The chief minister said the remaining owners would also be given new vehicles shortly.

He said the government shared the sentiments of the Ummah and people in Pakistan on the publication of the blasphemous cartoons. The caricatures had hurt the feelings of every Muslim and “we do fully condemn their publication.”

The federal government had raised the issue at the OIC level. The president too highlighted it in the UN General Assembly.

But, the chief minister said, certain elements’ attempts to secure political gains under the garb of the protests against the caricatures was regrettable. He questioned the burning of banks and damaging public or private property in the name of protests.

Those trying to get political mileage on the basis of the blasphemy would not be permitted to advance their nefarious designs. These elements had some other agenda. “No Muslim could tolerate blasphemy of the holy Prophet and is it sane to burn one’s own house in the name of protest on any issue,” he asked.

The chief minister said what was the fault of those people whose motorcycles were burnt. Their only fault was that they were performing duty in their offices.

He said the government had announced compensation to all those who had suffered the loss and it was now fulfilling the promise.

Lahore nazim Mian Amer Mahmood said the best available motorcycles had been given to the affected people.

The government had allowed a procession on the issue of the caricatures after an agreement with the political parties. But these political elements created a law and order situation in violation of the agreement, burning offices and vehicles of people, and attacking banks.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/03/04/nat11.htm

Unlawful construction ‘gobbles up’ plaza in Gulberg Town

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2006/03/07/20060307_building.jpg

* Third and fourth storeys collapse, nobody injured

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The third and the fourth storeys of an under-construction shopping mall on Main Boulevard collapsed on Monday, damaging 300 shops and offices. Nobody was injured in the incident.

In addition to the use of substandard material which was one of the major reasons behind the collapse, the shopping mall’s owner did not get legal permission from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) or the Gulberg Town administration for the multi-storey plaza, sources told Daily Times. They said surrounding buildings had also been damaged.

Sources said the town administration had already told the owner not to construct the fourth floor without getting permission from the LDA, since the authority was responsible for allowing the construction of buildings over 38 feet high. They said however the owner constructed the fourth floor because of LDA officials’ negligence and alleged corruption. Officials from the town administration said the nazim had already filed an objection against the illegal construction of the building. District Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood, Gulberg Town Nazim Faraz Chaudhry and the LDA director general held a meeting last week and ordered that plazas over 38 feet high should not be built in Gulberg without LDA and the town administration’s permission. The town nazim, municipal administrator and other senior officials have asked authorities concerned to stop the plaza’s construction immediately.

Sources said Bilalur Rehman was the owner of the shopping mall at 82-D/1, Main Boulevard (Gulberg) while Sohail Malik from the Uni-Ton Constructions was the contractor and Raizur Rehman the architect. They said the contractor completed the fourth floor in the wee hours of Monday, but it collapsed and fell onto the third floor.

The architect of the building told Daily Times that the plaza had collapsed because of mismanagement and the contractor’s negligence. He said there was nothing wrong with the design, which was made only for the 38 feet that had been approved. The contractor had asked for LDA’s permission to build the third floor a month ago, but the authority had not responded, he added. Contractor Sohail Malik said that such incidents were part of construction. He refused to comment on the building’s unlawful construction. Nazim Faraz Chaudhry said the plaza had collapsed because of lack of supervision and sub-standard building material. He said it was the responsibility of the registered structural engineer to submit reports on the building’s construction at various stages, but no report had been submitted in this case.

He said the structural engineer and LDA were directly responsible for the incident and the owner could be asked to remove the debris of the top floors. Further construction would not be allowed without LDA’s permission, he added.

An LDA official said the construction of unlawful commercial buildings in Gulberg had become a common thing. Sixteen hundred damaged shops in Rabi Centre, Elite Hotel, Wind Mills and 25 shops near Hussain Chowk’s roundabout were sealed under a recent operation against illegal buildings.

----------------

which mall is this?

Lahore Fort for Special Supplement

By Shahid Hussain and Amer Malik

LAHORE: Lahore Fort, Pakistan's premier world heritage site built by Mughals in 1560s, will wear a new look as new master plan of Rs 300 million has been made for its preservation.

This grandeur of Mughal era has the best architecturally preserved Shish Mahal, (Palace of Mirrors), Diwan-e-Aam (Court for the Commons), lawns, old wells and Hathi Paer (Steps for Elephants) as well as museums of Mughals and Sikhs. Sheesh Mahal was built in 1631 by emperor Shahjahan, is the most richly decorated building within this monument.

The history of fort is as old as city of Lahore. Emperor Akbar held his Court in Lahore for 14 years from 1584 to 1598, and built the Lahore Fort as well as city wall with 12 gates.

As Lahore Fort is constructed in a typically Mughal architectural style, its outer walls are decorated with blue kashi tiles of Persian origin. The private palatial section, and the administrative section, including areas for royal audiences, distinctly make two separate sections of the Lahore Fort. Hathi Pol, or 'elephant gate' leads to the residential area situated in courts within the fort. The red sandstone buildings form the oldest part of the residences. The Bari Khwabgah, or 'large sleeping room', has been attached to emperor Jahangir, and afterwards Shah Jahan enhanced grandeur by constructing a white marble Choti Khwabgah in the fort. The Shish Mahal, Naulakha Pavilion and Mussaman Burj are rare examples of the ornate architecture built in the reign in Shah Jahan. Lush green gardens a white marble Moti Mosque also add to the grandeur of Lahore Fort, which was contemporary to Agra Fort.

According to original map of 1846 and wooden model of 1925 lying at Albert Victoria Museum London, there was a boundary wall around this monument which Circular Road, areas of historical Badshahi Mosque, Marhi Ranjeet Singh, Lady Willington hospital, Ali Park, Rim Market and Tibi City area. This map was arranged by UNESCO and recently gave to Punjab Archeology department. This boundary wall does not exist now and its recovery or new built is also difficult as it had already encroached. Now, Circular Road, Rim Market, Tibi City area have been constructed in this area. It is difficult however recently made preservation plan will change its look. The amount of Rs 300 million would be spent in eight years for the preservation of various places and to give a new green look to the lawns of fort.

According to the PC-1 of this master plan, Rs 17.16 million would be incurred on development of lawns of Lahore Fort. The general appearance of surrounding areas of Lahore Fort will be improved as it presents negative image.

The money will be spent for renovation Jahangir's Quadrangle inside fort, Dewan-e-Aam, Dooulat Khana, Khark Sing Hawali, Akbari Mahal, Dewan-e-Khas, Khawabgah Shahjahan, Kala Burj, Lal Burj, basement of Fort, Haveli Mai Jindan, Ladies mosque inside Fort, Alamgiri gate, Loh Mander, Moti Masjid Makatib Khana, Musamman Darwaza, North East Burj and Suit Jahnagir's Quadrangle, Royal bath, Paien Bagh Area, Shish Mahal Surrounding, Arz Gha, Wodden Bridge, Western Suit, Floor of Akbari Gate, Second storey of Shish Mahal, PIATR Area, Old Wells and Picture Wall.

A buffer zone will be maintained around this monument in line with Federal Antiquities Act 1975 which requires that a 200 feet buffer zone be maintained around the major sites of cultural heritage. So far, this buffer zone has been encroached upon by major roads including the Grand Trunk Road and Fort Road, light industry, a rim market, car, bus and truck parking, utilities and garbage. Green belts including Ali Park to the south of Fort Road and the area between the citadel wall and Grand Trunk Road on the northern side of the site are in poor shape and filled with rubbish.

Lahore Fort has been facing many environmental problems which is the main concern of Archeology department. According to a survey of City government's environment department, conducted in with the safety plan for the monument, around 51 factories responsible for air pollution which are not only adversely affecting health of people in the area but also damaging monuments in the city. These factories are allegedly using substandard fuel like tyres, rubbers, used oil, shoe soles and other waste materials. Action against such factories would be taken soon.

The department is trying to maintain a buffer zone and to save Fort and its adjacent monuments from pollution, dust and vibration caused by heavy traffic as it is directly affecting the fort's walls. Besides this, a rim market and circular road have already been encroached. Gradually, the heavy traffic flow would be reduced and the Circular Road would be banned for heavy traffic. To save this monuments from encroachment, the archeology department had moved a letter to city government for removing Rim Market and stop heavy traffic at Circular Road. Removal of Attique Stadium is also included in the fort's preservation plan. UNESCO has awarded 20,000 $ for celebrating and organizing social Marketing Week which is commencing from March 20 to 26, 2006.

Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) will complete 'greenery' work inside the Lahore Fort with the consultation with the experts of UNESCO. Ali Park, at the back of the Fort was the part of Lahore Fort as it was included in main boundary wall. This park has become a dumping ground for solid waste from the Walled City and place of drug addicts. The PHA has also been asked to improve this park.

Sky-scrapers at Mall Road to be legalised
BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

LAHORE - Justice Sheikh Abdul Rashid of the Lahore High Court remarked that the cutting of trees and destroying green belts for the construction of multi-storied buildings has ruined the beauty of Lahore and as the result of that the temperature of the city is also rising quickly.
The court further remarked that the trees and oxygen are essential for the lives of the citizen. The Mall Road is not mere a road but is a national heritage and it should not be destroyed at the cost of commercialism.
The court made these remarks while hearing a petition against the construction of multi-storied buildings on the Mall Road.
The LHC had already stayed the construction of multi-storied building on the Mall on a petition against the constructing of a 40-storey building by a local hotel after destroying the green belts.
The court has asked respondents to file replies to the petition in 22 days.
Justice Sheikh Abdul Rashid further observed the numbers of big hotels and buildings were constructed without reserving places for parking and added that if the things kept on going in the same manner, Lahore would never be a better place to live in.
There is hell of difference between a government and a corporation and if a government started profit-oriented project likewise a corporation, the citizens’ lives would be at stake.
The respondent said that the hotel had abandoned its project of multi-storied building and rest of the stories, if required, would be constructed according to law.
The court asked the respondent to submit a written reply that no construction would be made on green belts and the court will dispose of the petition in the light of that statement. The court adjourned the hearing as the respondents sought time to file reply.
The petition was filed by Hassam Qadir Shah, an advocate who took the plea that the construction of multi-storied buildings on the Mall Road was destroying its beauty.
Three dismissed
The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday dismissed two senior clerks, Arshad Hussain (Bahawalpur Bench) and Yasir Alvi (Multan Bench) from services due to wilful absence from duty and misconduct.
They were proceeded against Rule 23(a) (7) of High Court Establishment (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 1974 read with Rule 14.13 on the charges of gross negligence, inefficiency and misconduct.
Meanwhile, a junior clerk, Murad Haider Hashmi was also removed from services on grounds of gross negligence, inefficiency and misconduct, under the same rules.
The Lahore High Court also proceeded against one Muhammad Nazir, holding the job of an assistant, for tampering judicial record, inefficiency and misconduct and with-held his two increments without cumulative effect.

http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/mar-2006/7/localnews1.php

Unlawful construction ‘gobbles up’ plaza in Gulberg Town

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2006/03/07/20060307_building.jpg

* Third and fourth storeys collapse, nobody injured

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The third and the fourth storeys of an under-construction shopping mall on Main Boulevard collapsed on Monday, damaging 300 shops and offices. Nobody was injured in the incident.

In addition to the use of substandard material which was one of the major reasons behind the collapse, the shopping mall’s owner did not get legal permission from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) or the Gulberg Town administration for the multi-storey plaza, sources told Daily Times. They said surrounding buildings had also been damaged.

Sources said the town administration had already told the owner not to construct the fourth floor without getting permission from the LDA, since the authority was responsible for allowing the construction of buildings over 38 feet high. They said however the owner constructed the fourth floor because of LDA officials’ negligence and alleged corruption. Officials from the town administration said the nazim had already filed an objection against the illegal construction of the building. District Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood, Gulberg Town Nazim Faraz Chaudhry and the LDA director general held a meeting last week and ordered that plazas over 38 feet high should not be built in Gulberg without LDA and the town administration’s permission. The town nazim, municipal administrator and other senior officials have asked authorities concerned to stop the plaza’s construction immediately.

Sources said Bilalur Rehman was the owner of the shopping mall at 82-D/1, Main Boulevard (Gulberg) while Sohail Malik from the Uni-Ton Constructions was the contractor and Raizur Rehman the architect. They said the contractor completed the fourth floor in the wee hours of Monday, but it collapsed and fell onto the third floor.

The architect of the building told Daily Times that the plaza had collapsed because of mismanagement and the contractor’s negligence. He said there was nothing wrong with the design, which was made only for the 38 feet that had been approved. The contractor had asked for LDA’s permission to build the third floor a month ago, but the authority had not responded, he added. Contractor Sohail Malik said that such incidents were part of construction. He refused to comment on the building’s unlawful construction. Nazim Faraz Chaudhry said the plaza had collapsed because of lack of supervision and sub-standard building material. He said it was the responsibility of the registered structural engineer to submit reports on the building’s construction at various stages, but no report had been submitted in this case.

He said the structural engineer and LDA were directly responsible for the incident and the owner could be asked to remove the debris of the top floors. Further construction would not be allowed without LDA’s permission, he added.

An LDA official said the construction of unlawful commercial buildings in Gulberg had become a common thing. Sixteen hundred damaged shops in Rabi Centre, Elite Hotel, Wind Mills and 25 shops near Hussain Chowk’s roundabout were sealed under a recent operation against illegal buildings.

----------------

which mall is this?


there are many unnamed malls underconstruction but i think this one is just next to ashiana mall.However,I will go to main boulevered in two days and confirm which one is this.

Expo center Lahore to be inaugrated formally by Gen Musharaf either on saturday or sunday. Lot of construction work has already been done on the site.

^ Can anyone please point out the exact site location for Expo Lahore on a google map?

Expo center Lahore to be inaugrated formally by Gen Musharaf either on saturday or sunday. Lot of construction work has already been done on the site.


source

Post: #1PC invites EoIs for 5-star hotel in Lahore
Sunday, March 12, 2006

PC invites EoIs for 5-star hotel in Lahore

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: The Privatizat-ion Commission has invited by April 30 Expression of Interests (EOIs) from financially strong parties with operating experience and plan to own and run a five-star hotel, Services International Hotel, on prime land on Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore.

The hotel is on an area of 14 Kanals and 18 Marlas. The available clear title of the land is in the name of Punjab Cooperatives Board for Liquidation to operate a hotel. The bidders for the land shall undertake to commence construction and operate a high-rise state-of- -the-art five-star hotel in an agreed timeframe.

The interested parties have been asked to send their EOIs giving details about the organization, individual /consortium of investors and audited accounts or bank statement for the last three years along with copies of CNIC, NTN, telephone, fax, mobile, email and the name/address of the focal person for correspondence.


http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2006_pg5_9

Can someone plz post the pics or rendering relating to expo center, plz.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\03\14\story_14-3-2006_pg7_20

3 more mass rail transit lines proposed
* Ever increasing traffic in city main reason for new proposal
* Green Line will start from Shahdara, pass Ravi Road, Data Gunj Buksh shrine, Lower Mall, Upper Mall, Queens Road, Ferozepur Road near Kalma Chowk, Model Town I and II, General Hospital and will end at Kahna

By Khawaja Naseer

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2006/03/14/20060314_02.jpg

LAHORE: MVA Asia, a Hong Kong-based engineering company, has proposed constructing three more lines for the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) because of the constantly increasing traffic in the city, senior Punjab government sources told Daily Times on Monday.

Initially, MVA Asia was given the contract to prepare the technical feasibility of the transit system’s Green Line whose construction cost was estimated at about $2 billion, sources said, adding that MVA Asia had planned to design the Green Line covering an area of 27 kilometres from Shahdara to Kahna.

The four lines that LRMTS planned were based on an elevated and underground system, which would connect all areas of the city, sources said.

The elevated portion of the Green Line would start from Shahdara, will pass through Ravi Road, Data Gunj Buksh shrine, Lower Mall, The Mall, Queens Road and Ferozepur Road near Kalma Chowk, sources said, adding that the underground portion would begin from Kalama Chowk, pass through Model Town I and II, General Hospital and end at Kahna.

Green Line’s proposed design included 19 stops including Shahdara, Timber Market, Bhaati Gate, Lahore Museum, Regal Chowk, Ganga Ram Hospital, Mozang Chungi, Ichhra, Wahdat Road, Gaddafi Stadium, Kalma Chowk, Model Town I and II and Kahna, sources added.

Train stations on the elevated route would be designed like overhead bridges while train stations on the underground route would have two entranceways and two exits, sources said, adding that MVA Asia was studying the London and New Delhi underground systems.

They also said the engineering company had designed the other three proposed lines. According to the design, a second line would start from Thokar Niaz Baig and would end at Daroghanwala, covering about 22 kilometres, sources said.

From Thokar, the proposed line would be elevated and would pass through Mansoora, Multan Road, Lake Road, Lakshmi Chowk and Railway Station from where the line’s underground portion would begin, passing through Tezab Ahatha, Bhagwanpura, University of Engineering and Technology, Shalimar Gardens and Daroghanwala, sources added.

The third line would start from Chauburji and end at College Road, sources said, adding that from Chauburji the line would pass through Mozang Chungi, Shadman Chowk, Jail Road, Mian Boulevard Gulberg, Mian Boulevard Garden Town, Faisal Town and end at College Road, sources said.

The fourth line would start from Bhaati Chowk and end at Allama Iqbal International Airport. The line would pass through Bhaati Chowk, Brandreth Road, Railway Station, Allama Iqbal Road, Dharampura, Ghazi Road and end at Allama Iqbal International Airport, sources added. The Green Line would facilitate about 350,000 people, sources said, adding that the project’s technical study would be completed by the end of May 2006. They said that to facilitate Lahoris the Punjab government had also started the Ring Road project.

The Punjab Transport Department is supervising the project while NESPAK is providing technical help on the Ring Road project. The Punjab Communications and Works Department is managing the Ring Road project.

Sources said that to avoid technical differences between both projects Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi had asked the Punjab Planning and Development Department to coordinate between the C&W and Transport Departments.

A mass transit system for Lahore has been the focus of discussion in government circles for many years. The feasibility of a light rail transit system was made by Japanese development organisation JICA in 1991 during Nawaz Sharif’s term as prime minister. It had proposed a 13-kilometre-long system. The study was reviewed and updated as part of the World Bank funded “Lahore traffic and transport studies” in 1993.

The system’s cost was estimated at about $400 million, but with better network coverage. In 1995 Japan proposed financing the original scheme with grants and loans of about $495 million, but the project could not be implemented due to many reasons.

Home | National

They're planning to build a flyover on the canal bank road from outside the Canal View Society's main gate to Multan Road. The flyover would go over the chowk at Thokar Niaz Beg. Although this is a very good development but once again the loser is the enivronment. They've already cut tens of trees from that area outside Canal View to make way for the roads but I guess they had no other option... one had to make a 90 degree turn just to go straight, which slows down the traffic and causes jams.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Work on General Hospital’s 114-bed building speeds up

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Lahore General Hospital (LGH) has speeded up construction work on a new five-storey building, which would provide the latest health services to people under the Healthy Punjab programme.

Medical Superintendent Dr Ijaz Ahmed Sheikh said that the hospital’s 2nd construction phase would cost Rs 649.26 million. The building would have outdoor, radiology and ophthalmology departments, a coronary care unit (CCU), ENT and paediatric wards, and operation theatres. The medical wards would have 114 beds, among which eye wards would have 88 beds, paediatric wards 44 beds, ENT 27 and CCU 18 beds.

Monday, March 27, 2006

Govt to give 188,992 5-marla plots to homeless in Punjab

Staff Report

LAHORE: A plan has been prepared to give 188,992 five-marla plots to homeless people in the province, Punjab Minister for Colonies Mian Manazar Ali Ranjha said in a statement on Sunday.

The minister said that these plots would be given to people from 28 districts - Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Sargodha, Khushab, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Sahiwal, Pakpattan, Vehari, Hafizabad, Narowal, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan, Kasur, Okara, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Muzzafargarh, Layyah, Rawalpindi and Chakwal. He said that land for the purpose had had been allocated in these districts.

He said that authorities had been asked to finalise all arrangements, adding that scrutiny committees would short-list eligible applicants from these districts in a transparent process.

Home | National

City govt reduces commercialisation fee for traders

Staff Report

LAHORE: The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has reduced commercialisation fees to promote business activity in the city, Lahore Nazim Mian Aamir Mahmood said.

Addressing a meeting of the City District Government on Saturday, the Lahore nazim said that the district government was issuing temporary licences for a duration of one to three years to allow traders to utilise residential land for commercial purposes.

City District Government was also providing instalments on the commercialisation fee to make payments easier, he said. He said that a 20 percent discount would also be provided if the three-year fee were paid in advance.

Lahore Nazim Mian Aamir Mahmood said that such measures would promote new businesses and help decrease the price of residential apartments.

He said that the Lahore Development Authority had also approved a reduction in the required width of courtyards of 10 marla and one kanal houses from 10 to seven feet.

The size of bathrooms of three, five and seven-marla houses had also been set at 40 square feet, he said.

Home | Lahore

DHA and Wateen Telecom sign deal for ‘digitalised’ DHA

LAHORE: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Lahore and Wateen Telecom (part of Warid Telecom International) have signed an agreement for ‘DHA Lahore Hybrid Fibre Optic Telecom Project’ on Friday, making DHA the first digitally connected smart community and digitally enabled real estate. The fibre line includes an independent cable network and installation of closed-circuit cameras. This multi-million dollar venture will be the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region providing fixed and wireless quad play services including voice, internet and video through digital connectivity. DHA Administrator Brig Fazal Nawaz Khan and Pervaz Shahid, chief executive officer Wateen Telecom, signed the agreement. Corps Commander Lieutenant General Shafaat Ullah Shah was the chief guest and members of Warid Telecom, Wateen Telecom and DHA attended the ceremony. Briefing the press, Brig Fazal Nawaz said that on the completion of the network, DHA residents would have access to 21st century telecommunication and media services through fibre optic and Wimax wireless hybrid connectivity that would provide services such as innovative telephonic calling plans, national and international calling, video conferencing, broadband internet (fixed & wireless), high definition (HD) TV reception including video-on-demand and video security surveillance with interactive gaming. staff report

Home | Lahore

PML playing historic role in Pakistan: CM

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that the PML, under the leadership of President Musharraf, was playing a historic role for the achievement of the objectives of Pakistan’s creation. The chief minister appreciated the services of the PMWT for workers of the Pakistan Movement, and for creating awareness among the younger generation about the movement. He said that work on the Bab-e-Pakistan project, a monument to commemorate refugees who camped in Walton during the partition, had been initiated. “The Punjab government has provided Rs 330 million for the project while President Pervez Musharraf is taking keen interest in it, and himself laid the foundation of the monument,” Elahi said. “It will hopefully be inaugurated on August 14.” The chief minister also offered complete support to the Nazriya-e-Pakistan Foundation’s project for the establishment of a library in Johar Town. He expressed his satisfaction at the completion of work on the Madir-e-Millat Park. The chief minister said that PML’s centenary celebrations would continue throughout the year. Seminars would also be arranged to highlight the sacrifices of leaders of the Pakistan Movement, so that the younger generation could be apprised of the objectives of the creation of Pakistan, he said. The chief minister also announced the approval of a grant for the installation of an elevator at the PMWT’s headquarters. staff report

Home | Lahore

Monday, March 27, 2006

Growing population prompts easier building bylaws

* Housing minister says building designs violating approved maps will be disallowed

Staff Report

LAHORE: The City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has relaxed its building bylaws reportedly to allow more building units to accommodate the growing population of the city.

Lahore Nazim Mian Amir Mehmood said in a meeting with local council representatives on Sunday that the rules had been amended in view of the “ever-increasing population of Lahore”, which rises by 200,000 people every year.

According to the amended rules, the maximum permissible height of four-storey residential buildings has been increased from 38 to 45 feet. Earlier restrictions on the number of housing units in four-kanal residential buildings have also been relaxed, a CDGL official told Daily Times.

District government officials said that the CDGL had taken these decisions in line with the federal government’s directions to maximise residential units in urban areas, but had devised a comprehensive mechanism at the same time to combat the threat of natural calamities such as earthquakes and floods.

The district government had ordered the town municipal officers to demolish buildings considered too dangerous for residence, they said. It had also called for a survey of old houses and high-rise buildings to identify such buildings, as they were a “constant threat to thousands of lives”, the officials said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Minister for Housing and Urban Development Syed Raza Ali Gillani has said that construction of buildings in violation of designs approved by the ministry would not be allowed in the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency. No Objection Certificates from the National Engineering Services Pakistan and other institutions would be required for the construction of new storeys on existing buildings, he said while addressing a meeting of the Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency.

Punjab Housing Secretary Khalid Sultan, Housing and Town Planning Director General Shahzad Jamil and officials of relevant institutions also attended the meeting.

The minister said that strict action would be taken against any official of the Works Department involved in the construction of buildings in violation of the approved design.

The meeting decided that allotment of greenbelts in old residential colonies would be made in accordance with the laws of the Lahore Development Authority. Owners of such land would only be allowed to use greenbelts as lawns and not appropriate them for construction, the meeting decided.

Home | Lahore

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Govt will help farmers market produce for higher profits: Elahi

Staff Report

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi said on Monday that the government was planning a programme to guide and provide consultation services to farmers about marketing their produce for higher profits. Presiding over a meeting on agro-marketing at CM’s Secretariat, Elahi said effective measures were being taken to promote investment in agri-marketing, better storage facilities and export of agri-produce.

He said a cold storage warehouse of international standards was being set up at Lahore Airport, which would help market agriculture production. He also said the Punjab Agri-Marketing Company (PAMCO) was playing an important role in this regard.

Elahi said measures had been taken to ensure farmers got larger profits for their produce and the decision to permit the private sector to set up agro-markets had resulted in competition in the market system. He said the non-productive expenditure of market committees had been reduced to safeguard the interests of farmers as well as consumers and a new system had been evolved to provide up-to-date information on prices of agro-items in various markets of the province. The CM said export-processing sections were being set up under the new system to increase the export of agro-commodities. He said that besides increasing per acre yield, proper marketing of agricultural items was also necessary to ensure a reasonable price for the cultivators.

Elahi said the role of banks was also being redefined to provide resources for agro-marketing and the Bank of Punjab was assisting in this regard. He said PAMCO, which was an autonomous institution, had helped promote investment in the agriculture sector under public-private partnership and was playing an important role in the socio-economic uplift of farmers and strengthening of the agro-marketing sector. He said the agriculture sector was growing fast due to the provision of better facilities to farmers for storing and transporting their yield as well as the assistance PAMCO was offering for the marketing of agricultural produce.

He said PAMCO’s current projects to promote agriculture as well as for the improvement of farmers were proving successful and PAMCO’s communications network was proving helpful in providing information on the demands of various agri-items abroad. He said PAMCO was also helping in collection of milk from far-flung areas and provision of other facilities, which would strengthen the livestock sector.

Home | National

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Lahore will be a safe city by 2009

* Glasgow city council to train Rescue 1122 officials
* Network to be extended to Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Sialkot and Dera Ghazi Khan
* Technical experts from Glasgow will visit Lahore

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The Glasgow city council will provide technical assistance to the Lahore district government in upgrading the Rescue 1122 service, which will help deal with natural calamities and make Lahore a safe city by 2009, said Gasgow Councillor Hunza Malik.

District government officials said the Glasgow city council would send technical experts to Lahore who would train their Lahore counterparts. They said the district government had decided to establish an Emergency Services Academy near Lahore Omnibus System Depot on Ferozepur Road. The district government had also decided to extend its network to Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Sialkot and Dera Ghazi Khan for the effectiveness of the service, they said.

Eighteen fully equipped ambulances, bomb disposal squads and fire brigades make up Rescue 1122, which has a staff of 200 people and is operating in Lahore only. Test runs of the 24-hour emergency service are being made to ensure efficiency in rescue and transportation operations for victims of accidents and natural disasters. The ambulances are equipped to treat victims of road accidents, bomb blasts and disasters like building collapses in Lahore. Victims with minor injuries will be treated at accident sites while seriously injured people will be transported to hospital. The Punjab government has launched the service to help helpless accident victims on time, whereas such victims were neglected in the past because of the lack of emergency services in Pakistan.

“The provincial and federal governments are really interested in this service, which will hopefully be improved on a larger scale,” said the Rescue 1122 director general.

CDGL Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood said an international standard Disaster Management System would start operating by July 1 and Lahore would be declared a safe city by 2009. Rescue teams had shown in a very short time that they were ready to meet challenges, the nazim said at the Rescue 1122’s awards ceremony.

Director General Rescue 1122 said that rescue teams from Shahdara, Ferozepur Road, Mughalpura and Tokhar Niaz Baig could reach emergency sites in seven minutes. He said the service had taken part in more than 22,000 relief operations and 18,000 people since its establishment. “Rescue 1122 is Pakistan’s first emergency service in accordance with international standards.”

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\03\28\story_28-3-2006_pg13_8

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Buyers needn’t be present for DHA land

* Lahore corps commander says requirement waived to facilitate expatriates
* Says all future decisions to be taken at organisational level

By Noshad Ali

LAHORE: The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has decided to dispense with the requirement of the buyers’ presence for the purchase of land.

DHA Administrator Brig Fazal Nawaz Khan made this announcement while addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of development work in Defence Phase-VI. The event was attended by around 2,500 people, including military and civilian officials. Real estate businessmen, senior citizens and others associated with the DHA were also present.

He said that the requirement had been waived on popular demand to facilitate expatriate Pakistanis. “Expatriates can now purchase plots and collect their documents without coming to DHA,” the DHA administrator said.

Brig Fazal said that a study had been undertaken to improve the quality of the commercial areas. The authority had decided to increase the limit on the maximum area of land that could be bought for construction of commercial buildings, while the maximum height allowed for such buildings had also been increased, he said. He said that such incentives would boost development of commercial centres in line with the trends of the modern living environment.

He said that the DHA had planned the operation of ‘London cabs’ in the area at rates comparable to yellow cabs. Development work on Phase-VI would be completed by December 2007, he said. Lahore Corps Commander Lt Gen Shafaatullah Shah, who is also the DHA president, said that the authority would start major development work on Phase-VIII by the end of the year, while the balloting for plots in Phase VII would start within two months.

He said that plans were underway to create an environment-friendly atmosphere in the area and expand the road network with a flyover at Bhatta Chowk. The flyover would provide people coming from Ferozepur Road with quicker access to Allama Iqbal International Airport, he said. Services in the DHA are also being updated “without compromising on construction bylaws” to suit residents, he said.

He said that a ring road had been carved out along the periphery of Phases V and VI and two interchanges at the junction of Phases V and VIII. “They (the ring road and interchanges) would be a milestone for the DHA, as they will enhance the road network between DHA and the rest of Lahore, and ease out traffic congestion on the Main Boulevard,” he said.

Gen Shafaat said that new projects included parks over around 80 kanals of land, a country club, a Professional Golfers’ Association-standard 18-hole golf course, a composting plant for recycling garbage, a network of roads and an “unmatched 43-57 percent developed-to-open-area ratio”. A contract had already been signed with a reputed telecom company to provide security and surveillance, communication, entertainment, cable television, interactive video, e-banking and billing to residents of the area, he said. He said that an expressway linking Phases VI and VII, passing through Phase-VIII and joining Allama Iqbal International Airport Road had also been planned.

The Lahore corps commander said that the last few years had been unproductive for the DHA “due to the stock exchange crash, reduced interest rates, and a court inquiry on alleged mismanagement that contributed to land liquidity and harmed the business”.

He said that the court inquiry had concluded and those involved had been “adequately penalised”. “All shortcomings identified during development have been weeded out and plugged to the satisfaction of the members,” he said. The DHA had decided to take all future decisions at an organisational rather than an individual level to restore the people’s confidence, he said. “The system has been completely revamped, powers have been delegated to other members of the authority and the number of employees has been reduced to make the DHA a more vibrant, efficient and lean outfit,” he said. Gen Shafaat said that a ‘Front Desk’ had been set up to efficiently address the residents’ problems. He said that the DHA had allotted 60 acres of land free of cost for the establishment of a science and technology university. “The project will be financed by the Pakistan government and completed by the end of 2008,” he said. “The project will bring foreign investment worth Rs 15 billion in the country.”

The Lahore corps commander said that the authority had also planned the establishment of the campus of a reputed foreign university and a kindergarten school on its premises. Twenty-seven kanals of land had already been allocated for the school and work on it would start in the first week of April, he said. The corps commander said that foreign and domestic investors were being offered prime locations to establish amusement parks, five-star hotels and business centres. “It would help DHA lure investment and boost economic activity in the country,” he said.

Home | Lahore

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\03\28\story_28-3-2006_pg13_1

'Privatisation fetches Rs 385b in 3 years'

By Our Correspondent

LAHORE: Pakistan has succeeded in realising a sum of Rs 385 billion through privatization of public units in last three years.

This was stated by Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, former Federal Minister and Chairman of the Privatization Commission who was talking to reporters at the concluding session of Marcon 2006 in a local hotel Tuesday.

The event was organized by Marketing Association of Pakistan, Lahore Chapter. The theme for MARCON 2006 was 'New Challenges, New Initiatives'.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Hafeez said the PC contributed Rs 236 billion in the national exchequer during the last year alone.

He was of the view that last three years had been the golden period for privatization in the country, as big public sector units like KESC, PTCL and Fertilizer plants were privatised and more than 800 percent increase was registered in amount acquired from privatisation.

Hafeez expressed the optimism that after his relinquishment the momentum of the privatisation would continue and some more big public assets like Pakistan Steel Mills and Pakistan State Oil would soon be privatised.

Replying to a question about the fate of Pak-American Fertilizers, he said that it would be given to the second highest bidder and if terms and conditions were not set then re-auctioned. He lauded the role and efforts of Marcon-2006 for meeting new challenges and initiatives with bringing new strategies to meet the global challenges. Dr Hafeez also distributed shields and certificates among the participants.

The congress proved as the largest marketing event of Pakistan where executives and professionals of distinguished national and multinational companies interacted and shared their experiences. More than 500 delegates from within the country and overseas attended the event.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Model Town Society legalises occupied land for peanuts

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The cooperative Model Town Society (MTS) has legalised for a paltry sum the lease on around 9,000 square feet of commercial land which had been illegally occupied by a petrol pump owner for the last two decades.

Sources inside the society administration told Daily Times on Wednesday that the society leased the land to a petrol pump owner at Rs 1,500 per month without following due procedure. The land was leased to Mansoor Habib Khan to extend his petrol pump on Link Model Town Road without the involvement of the society’s Revenue and Management committees, the sources said. Sources said that the land had already been under illegal occupation by Khan for the last 23 years, and the current society management had only legalised this possession.

According to a receipt, Khan deposited Rs 498,750 in the society’s account on March 15 as payment of the lease to occupy the land since 1983. The sum has been deposited in two phases – at Rs 1,000 per 4,500 square feet per month from November 1983 to November 1992, and Rs 1,500 per 4,500 square feet per month from November 1992 to December 2005.

In the lease contract process, the president of the society can unilaterally lease MTS land for a year. However, any lease of land for more than a year requires the approval of the relevant Revenue and Management committees. Moreover, failure to deposit the lease a year after its initiation leads to automatic cancellation of the lease contract, according to the society rules. Revenue Committee Convener Irshad Bhatti told Daily Times that neither he nor other committee members had been informed about “any such deal”. He said that he has “already expressed reservations over the lease contract and forwarded them to the concerned quarters”.

MTS President Col (r) Tahir Hussain Kardar confirmed that the land had been “illegally occupied for the last 23 years by a petrol pump owner”.

He said that 9,000 square feet of land had been leased out to Khan in 1983, but he had illegally occupied an additional 6,050 square feet of government land. “The society management had failed to have the land vacated for the last 23 years,” he said. Only the current management had succeeded in solving this problem, he said. About the lease money, the MTS president said that the sum was decided according to the first contract of lease, which in this case was over two decades old.

Home | Lahore

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Sozo Water Park: New water themes set to make a big splash

* Racer Slide, Lazy River and Water Dip Restaurant will open in April

Staff Report

LAHORE: Sozo Water Park’s three new water theme attractions, the Racer’s Slide, the Lazy River and the Water Dip Restaurant will open to the public in April.

The Rs 15 million project, the first of its kind in Pakistan, has been completed with India and the USA’s collaboration, Sozo Water Park Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Zoriaz Lashari said in a press conference on Wednesday. He appreciated the Indian engineers’ efforts for the project. He said the four-lane Racer Slide with special water mats would allow the sliders to race any way they want, even on their bellies.

The 10-foot wide Lazy River had submersible water pumps that made 300,000 gallons of water move like a slow river, in which people could relax or float along in tubes. The 630-feet long journey features various attractions like a volcano that erupts every 10 minutes, a horror chamber, a waterfall, rain and bubbling water, he said.

He said the Water Dip Restaurant would let people eat sitting in water among live fish, with tables above water level.

Zoriaz said water slides and water mats were imported from India and America because the quality of products available in Pakistan was inferior. The imported fibreglass slides had a 25-year lifespan and could be repaired easily, he said. The Lazy River tubes will be imported from the US, he said.

He regretted last year’s accident and said the park administration had paid ample compensation to the victims. “To avoid such incidents in future and to ensure safety, we have called two veteran Indian engineers Vijay Pal and Jagadish Chander,” he said. Addressing the press conference, Vijay Pal and Jagadish Chander said they loved working in Lahore and thanked Lahoris for their hospitality. They said it was the affection of people of Lahore because of which they finished the one-month project in 10 days. “We had been told that Pakistan was not safe and the people of Pakistan hate Indians,” Vijay Pal said, “but out experience is entirely different.” “We did not expect Lahore to be such a beautiful place,” said Jagadish Chander, “both in terms of facilities and hospitality.”

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\03\30\story_30-3-2006_pg13_2

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Money talks, but does it park?

By Maria Amir

LAHORE: A large number of multi-storeyed buildings have sprouted in Lahore in the past few years, but all huge constructions like Eden Heights, City Centre and Empire Centre have one thing in common, none of them have appropriate car parking.

“Although the trend has shifted towards underground parking, not all underground parking lots are fit to park in,” said Mrs Kamran. “Women drivers feel unsafe in poorly lit underground parking areas with no security.”

“I don’t mind parking in an underground facility as long as it is well lit and has security,” said Maheen Khan. “Most large plazas have realised the importance of security and lighting in their parking lots,” she said. The steep slopes leading into and outside underground parking areas also discourage from parking underground. “All properly constructed parking lots have gentle slopes. Most buildings in Lahore don’t make provisions for the extra space required for parking lots and have to fit them in the buildings’ area,” a construction engineer said.

Kamran Imtiaz, a structural engineer from NESPAK, said a number of apprehensions about underground parking were social and had little to do with construction. “Despite steep entrances, the structures are sound, but people prefer to park their cars outside despite more chances of them getting scratched or stolen. This situation comes from a lack of trust in construction material and architecture, even if it is unfounded,” he said.

Employees of parking contractors said most seven to ten storeyed buildings do little to provide periphery parking. This perhaps is the reason why green belts in Lahore often serve as parking tracks. “Shops are expanding and the number of cars increasing, but the parking space remains the same. That is why so many illegally parked cars are taken away by the authorities.”

The authorities claim that they are only doing their job. “If a car is parked on a green belt, it is our job to impound it and charge Rs 200,” said a traffic policeman.

People complain that cars are picked up randomly and smaller cars are confiscated more often. Drivers said if they do not find proper parking, they wedge their cars between poles or trees so that forklifts cannot pick them up.

The guard outside the only parking plaza at Sunfort in Liberty Market said the lot had a capacity for 150 vehicles, but it has never been full. “People usually park their cars on the first few floors and are apprehensive of parking in the top storeys. Although parking for the hotel and the shopping plaza is free, most people prefer to park outside.” Ironically, very few people know about this new service. Much of the dilemma stems from general attitudes rather than a lack of parking facility. “Why would anyone want to park so far away when they can park in front of the store,” said Aleena Iftikhar. The opinion is shared widely and most people, especially women, prefer to park directly in front of their destination. Parking plazas, regardless of their advantages, are considered inconvenient if at a distance.

Ever increasing shopping malls and complexes are expected to give the economy a boost, but the people who shop in them have no place to park their cars. Pedestrians just do not make up the primary target audience for a luxury shopping mall.

Home | Lahore
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\03\30\story_30-3-2006_pg13_6

Thursday, March 30, 2006
LAHORE: A large number of multi-storeyed buildings have sprouted in Lahore in the past few years, but all huge constructions like Eden Heights, City Centre and Empire Centre have one thing in common, none of them have appropriate car parking.

This is bad. Its all over the city. Traffic is going nuts. Ever go to M.M. Alam Rd. on a Saturday night, you'll see what I'm talking about.
I don't understand why they don't make underground parking.

i would add in here readin the above critics......
-no one from outside will be able to change us
-if we want to c a change first of all we need to change ourself
-first of all use the exisiting facilities which are provided n then look out for smth diff
talkin abt undergroung parking.....thats not a solution.....look at the exisitng new auriga centre....ull c a larger number of cars parked outside instead of inside the two levels of basements reserved for car parking........

-'the job of an architect is to forsee such problems and educate the society......but such an education is of no use when one doesnt want to change the rigid habbits himself...'

-my own analysis of the urban problems study is that everyone in the community is becoming materialistic and commercial.....meaning looking oppurtunities to earn money one way or the other.....and give lesser back to the community.....as a result our community n social setup is decaying........decaying in the sense that the architecture suck cauz client fucks....lol....if freedom is given to design a space takin in consideration the requirement, future and present and many other factors will help to stop such a decay.....which is only possible if ppl would change their attitude.....we should undertake the feeling that what we are leaving behing for our future generations.....problems n more problems......with solution not taken into consideration at appropriate time......!!

In my opinion MMalam should have not been commercialized first of all and if it is then multistorey buildings should not exceed a certain limit....the reason is that the higher the building goes....it means the more consumers and commutars it will attract as a result narrow roads like MMALAM will become a good example of chaos congestion instead of providing an image of food street of newer lahore.......the roads cannot be widened and the volume of traffice cannot be stopped.....n u cant provide a standard footpath on it.......so wuts gonna b an alternative fer this.....?

COLLEGE ROAD, REVAMP

http://lahore.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/03/College%20Road.JPG

Institute of Leadership & Management is constructing this huge campus near Revenue Housing Society.
http://lahore.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/03/ILM%20New%20Campus.jpg


new constructions at link road, model town
http://lahore.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/03/Link%20Road%20Plaza.jpg

http://lahore.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/03/Link%20Road%20Plaza%202.jpg

http://lahore.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/03/Zainab%20Link.jpg

air avenue, dozens of houses u/c
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1143813374.jpg


green city, looking stunning
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1143813183.jpg


DHA phrase 6
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1143813000.jpg

this must be the render of ring road, which is the main boulevard in dha.
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1143812865.jpg

lake city, shaping up.
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1143812804.jpg


state life society
http://www.lahorerealestate.com/ads/public/img-1143812656.jpg

There is a real problem in many Pakistani cities that takes away from any asthetic appeal. The overhead power lines are so unorganized and are a real eyesore. Are there any plans to bury them or better organize overhead lines?

Yes, the city government of Lahore has planned to put most of the wires underground.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

Crackdown on impure building material

LAHORE: Lahore (Operations) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Aamir Zulfiqar Khan has formed a special team to crack down on adulterated construction material in the city. Sources told Daily Times on Friday that several reports by the government had attributed the collapse of many buildings in the last two years to adulterated construction material.

Senior officials of the Punjab Police Department had directed the DIGs and the district police officers to check construction material, and the team had been formed in line with these instructions, they said.

A special team headed by Baghbanpura Station House Officer Faisal Sharif raided a factory in Mominpura and found adulterated and fake cement. The team arrested nine people from the factory, including Muhammad Saleem, Muhammad Maqsood, Muhammad Hayat, Muhammad Sain, Liaqat Ali, Billa, Sanaullah and Muhammad Shafique. However, the factory owner, Muhammad Zahid, fled the scene. Police also recovered from the factory 800 sacks of fake cement, 5,000 empty branded sacks of different companies and equipment used for adulteration. staff report

Home | Lahore

Saturday, April 01, 2006

First medicinal garden in Liberty Park

* Local herbal medicine company will help Parks and Horticulture Authority with project

By Noshad Ali

LAHORE: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) is setting up its first medicinal plant garden in Liberty Park with the financial assistance of a local herbal medicine company, sources told Daily Times on Friday.

The idea would help promote the herbal industry and protect Lahore’s native trees, sources added. The contract between PHA and the herbal company stated that the latter would provide Rs 10 million to PHA to start the project and would provide Rs 2 million every year for the garden’s maintenance, sources said, adding that in return PHA would allow the herbal company to rename Liberty Park with its own name and also allow it to get raw material from the medicinal plants.

Sources said the project would be an experiment, which could be expanded to other parks for the growth of the herbal industry provided that the idea succeeded. PHA would also plant several indigenous plants and trees in the park and make it into a proper recreational area, sources said, adding that a large part of the park adjacent to the Firdous Market road consisted of a grove that marred the park’s beauty.

Chaudhry Asghar, PHA Nurseries deputy director, said several tree species in Lahore were being used in medicine and could provide excess raw material for Indian ayurvedics. He said trees commonly known as Neem, Moolsri, Barna, Keekar, Arjun, Kharni, Shreen, Amla, Harrar and others had great medicinal value and could easily be grown in the park. He said the economic benefits could be reaped by selling the raw material of the medicinal plants after about a decade of plantation.

Shabbir Ahmed, PHA director general, said the authority was starting many projects for the betterment of Lahore’s parks. He said the Liberty Park project had been started as an experiment and would hopefully succeed and that the grove’s presence in Liberty Park disfigured the park’s beauty.

He said that another problem PHA faced was the presence of Eucalyptus trees in the grove because one Eucalyptus tree needed about 200 litres of water a day and therefore posed a danger to the water table, he said, adding that the park’s reconstruction would also help phase out Eucalyptus trees from the park. “The growth of indigenous medicinal plants will also help develop Lahore’s wildlife,” he added.

Home | Lahore

MM Alam Road desperatly needs attention...I hate the thought of that road on a saturday night...

well all the houses under construction in air aveneu is halted...all the construction activites in the society has been banned by the cantonment board for long tym.

Putting garbage to good use — Pakistan’s first compost plant

Staff Report

LAHORE: Pakistan’s first compost plant, which will convert organic garbage into fertiliser, was inaugurated on Friday.

The plant – 'Lahore Compost' – has been set up on Bund Road near Mahmood Booti with the financial assistance of a multinational company on build, operate and transfer basis for 25 years.

City District Government Lahore (CDGL) officials told Daily Times that the plant, bought from Belgium, would transform around 20 percent of the city’s waste, around 1,000 tonnes of garbage, into 250 tonnes of organic fertiliser every day.

The 37.5-acre plant had been built on land owned by the Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) and had cost Rs 250 million, CDGL officials said. They said that the multinational company would operate the plant for 25 years, during which it would annually give 10 percent of its gross profit to the SWMD. The plant would be handed over to the SWMD after 25 years, they said.

CDGL officials said that 10 percent of the revenue generated by the SWMD from the plant would be invested in the CDGL’s social welfare schemes.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Lahore Nazim Mian Amir Mehmood said that Lahoris would benefit from the plant, which was a result of public-private sector cooperation. Cleanliness and the removal of garbage were among the city administration’s top priorities, he said, and the government had planned another garbage disposal plant on Multan Road, the nazim said.

Anwar Saifullah, the chairman of the multinational company Lahore Compost, and its Chief Executive Officer Syed Naseer Ahmad also addressed the gathering. The Belgium Embassy’s Trade Commissioner in Pakistan Abid Hussain, SWMD chief Rafique Jatoi and senior CDGL officials also attended the gathering.
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Sunday, April 02, 2006

Zoo buying hippo, rhino and ostrich

LAHORE: The Lahore Zoo is buying a pair of giraffes, a hippopotamus, an African white rhino, an ostrich and monkeys, said Lahore Zoo Director Muhammad Yousaf Pal on Saturday.

Yousaf said the wild animals would be bought through open tenders in a transparent manner according to government procedure. He said some rare species of birds would be arranged for under the mutual exchange programme for zoos.

The zoo would be upgraded in accordance with international standards at a cost of Rs 200 million to offer visitors various facilities, the director said, adding that Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi had laid the foundation stone of the zoo’s improvement project. He said a modern safari park would be established near the city soon.

Yousaf said special children were being allowed into the zoo for free on the chief minister’s directive. He said the Punjab Wildlife Department had made a plan to protect wildlife in the province, in addition to breeding rare species of animals and birds. ‘Lal Saharno Park’ on 162,000 acres of land in Bahawalpur would be upgraded to attract foreign and local tourists, he said, adding that a modern hotel would also be built at the site to facilitate visitors. app

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Sunday, April 02, 2006

Lahoris preferring electronic security over private guards

* Police says private guards involved in three out of every five kidnappings and in every second robbery case

By Shahnawaz Khan

LAHORE: Lahoris are switching to electronic security systems, as cases of robberies and kidnappings being committed with the help of private security guards are on the rise in the city.

Police sources told Daily Times that Lahore Police had finalised its plan to prevent robberies and had decided to end the decades-old ‘chowkidari system’ (private security system) to make the public aware of methods that criminals used to rob houses.

A senior police official said private security guards were involved in three out of every five kidnapping cases in the city. Similarly, private security guards were involved in every second case where robbers had entered a house, he said, adding that because of this scenario, residents had started switching to electronics security systems.

Police has found that private security guards were involved in two bank robberies and three kidnapping cases in the past year.

Electronics traders on Hall Road said more than 30,000 residents of Defence, Gulberg, Model Town, Garden Town, Allama Iqbal Town and Cantonment had opted to install electronic security systems at their homes and offices.

Kamran, an electronic security system dealer, told Daily Times that electronic systems were better than manual security and also affordable. He said an electronic security system including eight close circuit cameras, multi-screen displays and installation charges cost Rs 35,000 to Rs 100,000.

He said electronic security systems were imported from China, Malaysia, Korea, Taiwan and Japan and were easily available on the local market. He also said Lahoris had started using computerised card locks and that more than 10,000 customers had installed the electronic locks in their offices and residences.

Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Aamir Zulfiqar Khan said there was no place in the world where the police alone could control crime. “It is now the collective responsibility of the police and community to put a stop to criminal activities,” he added.

He said Lahore Police was going to introduce a ‘Safe Home Campaign’ for Lahoris, which would be run in collaboration with nazims, councillors and the public. The campaign would educate the public with handbills and posters, he said, adding that the campaign would also be shown on TV and radio.

He said police had recommended several security measures including installing bells at neighbours houses. That was, if robbers do enter a house, the occupants could warn their neighbours about their (robbers’) presence by ringing the bell, he said, adding that burglar protection alarms would also be used.

He said Lahore Police had already told all police stations to compile a database of domestic servants in their precincts concerned and that domestic servants could only be employed after police verified their particulars. He said police also planned to prepare a database of private security companies and their employees in the city. The deputy inspector general called a special meeting with the owners and administrators of private security companies operating in the city.

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Sunday, April 02, 2006

Cherie Blair is coming to town

By Anjum Herald Gill

LAHORE: British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s wife Cherie Blair will watch a play called ‘The Cultural Aspect of Breast Cancer Stigma in Pakistan’ at Alhamra Arts Council on April 11.

Cherie is coming to Lahore to help raise funds for breast cancer patients in Pakistan on the invitation of Women’s Empowerment Group and international NGO Pink Ribbon.

She will arrive on April 10 and will participate in a fund raising dinner at Governor’s House. She will meet women oncologists and surgeons.

Punjab government sources said Cherie will visit Lahore Fort during her stay in the city and the fort will be decorated with traditional ornaments and musical instruments. They said special illumination arrangements had been made and security guards will wear Mogul costumes. Sources said a dance performance by leading artists was also on the cards.

Prominent event managers including Sehar Sehgal, Huma Baig, Musarrat Misbah and Jalal Yousaf are trying to get the contract to decorate the Lahore Fort.

Cherie Blair will also visit a rural education programme for girls.

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Sunday, April 02, 2006

City nazim launches development schemes in Johar Town

Staff Report

LAHORE: Lahore Nazim Mian Aamir Mehmood inaugurated various development schemes in the Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) Johar Town Colony on Saturday.

He inaugurated a community centre and a mosque in the LDA Avenue-I housing scheme, and laid the foundation stone of the LDA Complex and a co-education school in Johar Town.

The LDA Complex will be constructed over 10 kanals and will house all Lahore offices of the authority. It will consist of three blocks, the first of which will be completed at a cost of Rs 30 million in a year. The remaining two blocks will be constructed in the second phase.

The community centre, to be constructed on 16 kanals, will cost Rs 10 million. The construction of the school, spread over 11 kanals, will cost Rs 24 million.

Addressing the gathering, the district nazim said that the City District Government Lahore was committed to upgrade facilities at its developed colonies. He said that introducing more development schemes would benefit Johar Town residents.

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phew..that is a lot to take in on one page....thanks for the info sania

Monday, April 03, 2006

BBC team records documentary on Rudyard Kipling

By Anjum Herald Gill

LAHORE: A BBC team was recently in Lahore to film part of a documentary on the life of the famous poet, novelist and journalist Rudyard Kipling.

Kipling spent five years in Lahore as assistant editor of the Civil and Military Gazette.

The BBC One team recorded scenes at Masjid Wazir Khan, Heera Mandi, Landa Bazaar, the Freemason Lodge near Lady McLagan School, Kim’s Gun, named after his famous novel, the Civil and Military Gazette office on The Mall, the Sheikhupura Bazaar, the National College of Arts and the Punjab Club building, which was then the Army Staff College.

The team had earlier visited Mumbai, where Kipling was born in December 1865. His Father, John Lockwood Kipling, was serving at a local school of arts. The team also visited Allahabad, where Kipling stayed as a correspondent for the Pioneer. The team is also filming an adaptation of Kipling’s 1894 classic ‘The Jungle Book’.

During its visit, the team interviewed several people on the works of Kipling, including Oria Maqbool Jan, the Archaeology Department director general of the Punjab government and himself a writer and journalist. BBC asked Jan if Kipling was considered a racist in Pakistan for his glorification of the British Empire and racial prejudices in his 1899 poem ‘The White Man’s Burden’. Jan dismissed the notion, saying that Kipling openly mingled with the locals and observed them for his work. In fact, Kipling was the first British writer to narrate tales of “pure Indian characters” as compared to other contemporary writers, who wrote volumes on “the magic of India” but nothing of Indian characters, he said. Kipling became the first Englishman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907.

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Monday, April 03, 2006

Punjab govt aiming for 100% literacy rate, CM tells Sri Lankan president

LAHORE: The government wants to achieve 100 percent literacy rate in Punjab through the education reforms programme, said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi at a reception hosted in Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse’s honour at Chief Minister’s Secretariat, on Sunday. Elahi said the government was implementing a programme to pay female students monthly stipends and offer free education and books up to matriculation. He said attention was being paid to improve the standard of education and the literacy rate, therefore teachers with qualification less than BA would not be appointed to teach at any level in the province. The chief minister briefed the Sri Lankan president on the steps being taken for teachers’ training, and said the literacy rate could not be improved without training teachers. Elahi said several international institutes had praised the Punjab government for its education programme. He invited the Sri Lankan Education minister to review the programme, and said the Punjab government wanted to benefit from the Sri Lankan education system. The Sri Lankan president praised the Punjab government for its development strategy. staff report

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Monday, April 03, 2006

Punjab’s education plan will be applied to other provinces: PM

LAHORE: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has praised the Punjab government’s education programme, saying that similar programmes would be implemented in other provinces too. He said this while addressing a public meeting at Chunian on Sunday. Aziz said that the successful implementation of the Punjab government’s education programme had produced positive results. The prime minister said that the recent PML convention on Pakistan Day had promoted the ideas of the Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. The PML was engaged in strengthening the country “with renewed enthusiasm”, he said. staff report

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Monday, April 03, 2006

64,000 schools in Punjab being upgraded, says CM

Staff Report

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that around 64,000 schools were being upgraded through the provision of adequate facilities under the Education Sector Reforms Programme.

Addressing large public meetings at Chunian and Kot Radha Kishan on Sunday, the chief minister said that education up to matriculation had been made free in Punjab, and textbooks were being provided to students free of cost.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was the chief guest on the occasion. Elahi said that female students were also being granted stipends to continue their studies. The government now had more resources at its disposal because of the “revolutionary vision of President Pervez Musharraf” and “splendid economic policies” of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, he said. He said that a comprehensive monitoring system had been established for the effective implementation of reforms in various development sectors. Solid measures had been taken for the development of agriculture in the country, such as the exemption of tax on 12.5-acre land and the flat rate of ‘abiana’, “which has rid farmers of the patwari culture”, he said.

Elahi said that the work on the Ganda Singh–Kasur Road had started, and was expected to cost Rs 2.6 billion. The Changa Manga Railway crossing project, which would cost Rs 150 million, would also be started soon, he said. A seven-kilometre long stretch of road would be built to connect Multan Road with Phool Nagar as well, he said.

He also announced a new degree college for Kanganpur, along with one girls’ school each in Chunian and Pattoki.

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Monday, April 03, 2006

Zafar Ali Road — The Mall traffic junction: Environment Act violation may delay project

*District government didn’t get Environment Impact Assessment

By Khawaja Naseer

LAHORE: The City District Government Lahore’s (CDGL) project to widen The Mall by constructing a traffic junction at the Zafar Ali Road-Mall intersection (opposite the former Services International Hotel) could be delayed because the project could be violating the Pakistan Environment Protection Act (PEPA) 1997, district government sources told Daily Times on Sunday.

They said the Traffic and Engineering Planning Agency (TEPA) had executed the project costing about Rs 100 million, but district government authorities concerned did not get an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) through Section 12 of PEPA. Violating the section was a criminal offence and punishable under Section 17 of PEPA, sources said, adding that under Sections 18 and 19 of PEPA corporate bodies/government agencies/local authorities and local councils were liable to be prosecuted if the act was violated.

They said that following the violation Asad Alam (a resident of Upper Mall) filed a complaint with the Environment Protection Tribunal (EPT). Looking over the facts highlighted in the complaint, EPT on April 1 served notice to the Punjab government through the provincial Environment Protection Department secretary, to the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency through its director general, to the Punjab Environment Protection Department through its secretary, to CDGL through the district coordination officer and to the Gulberg Town Municipal Administration officer of infrastructure and services and TEPA through the Lahore Development Agency’s director general, sources added.

EPT asked the above-mentioned departments and agencies to explain their positions regarding the violation of environment laws, sources said. Asad Alam said he lived in the immediate vicinity of the construction area and made the complaint because he was aggrieved at the negative effect the construction would have on the environment as well as in the public’s interest to protect The Mall’s ecological importance.

He also said the construction purported to be part of a project envisioning the construction of a traffic junction at the Zafar Ali Road-Mall intersection, the addition of a service lane on the northern portion of The Mall between the former Services International Hotel and Mian Mir Bridge and the shutting down of the U-turn in front of the former Services International Hotel and Lahore Gymkhana.

He said the project, which consisted of construction on the green belt on the northern side and felling of trees on both sides of Upper Mall between Zafar Ali Road and Mian Mir Bridge, was a project in terms of Section 2(b) of PEPA and constituted an “adverse environment effect” in terms of Section 2(i) of PEPA.

Asad Alam also said PEPA and rules of the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency made it mandatory for the proponent of any project, which was likely to cause an adverse environment effect, to submit an EIA report to PEPA and the Punjab Environment Protection Department for obtaining the necessary approval before starting such a project.

Sources said the project was made to help the citizens of Lahore with traffic congestion. TEPA officials said the project would help traffic from The Mall and from Fortress Stadium.

Separately, CDGL’s environment officer and Environment Protection Agency’s (EPA) provincial metropolis officer have verified the objections raised by Asad Alam. Besides responding to the environment tribunal, both officers have also expressed their objections with their authorities.

The district officer for environment, through a letter dated 20/02/06 to the TEPA chief engineer, said no project could be started without an EIA. He said it had come to notice through a complaint filed under Section 21 (3)(b) of PEPA followed by a survey of the construction site that TEPA authorities had launched the project without an environment approval, which was a violation of PEPA.

EPA’s Lahore officer, through a letter dated 30/03/2006, also said the provision of Section 12 of PEPA had been violated by the agency that was executing the project.

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From India: world’s largest love letter

LAHORE: Approximately 10,000 schoolchildren from Lahore will be filing into Gaddafi Cricket Stadium on Tuesday to receive a gift from the children of India so big that it will just barely fit.

"The World’s Largest Love Letter," measuring 360 ft x 240 ft, never before assembled in its entirety, is an enormous gesture of friendship created and signed by thousands of kids throughout India.

The letter has received huge publicity in India, having been hosted in major stadium events in Bangalore, Mumbai, and walked through the streets of Ahmedabad. This gigantic "love letter" is part of an even bigger Indo-Pak friendship initiative, organized by FriendsWithoutBorders.org.

Tens of thousands of children have been penning heartfelt letters to their new Pakistani friends. Most of the major TV networks in India have been airing a public service announcement which asks Indian schools to send in their letters which are now pouring in.

Says volunteer Yoo-Mi Lee, "This is just the beginning." Designs are already in place to grow this effort bigger. This children’s movement is growing so fast, in fact, that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, himself, was forced to take notice:

The Prime Minister of India said, "This is a beautiful event, being led by the children of both countries. It has very positive ramifications for the future of both nations, once this generation of children grows up and takes on the reins of leadership."

April 4th is a significant day because the children of Pakistan will have their first chance to respond. Aamir Rafique, Director of Goethe-Zentrum Lahore and local representative of FriendsWithoutBorders is spearheading the campaign in Lahore.

Schools in Pakistan are invited to mail the letters written by their students to: FriendsWithoutBorders.org, 58-Commercial Area, 3rd Floor, Cavalry Ground, Lahore-54810.

http://www.jang-group.com/thenews/apr2006-daily/03-04-2006/main/main7.htm

Without auction: Saudi investor set to get The Mall plot

By Mayed Ali

LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet will meet tomorrow (Tuesday) to formally approve the sale of 48 kanal prime land at The Mall, without auction, to a Saudi investor for construction of a luxury hotel.

The piece of land, which is part of GOR-I, is next to College Road and Upper Mall on city canal, near the Naval War College. Punjab government, according to sources, has decided and is all set to sell the land at Rs 25 million per kanal. The deal will fetch Rs 1.2 billion.

It is learnt that the government is satisfied over the deal as a maximum Rs 15 million per kanal price had earlier been assessed for the site. Waleed bin Talal, one of the biggest investors of Saudi Arabia, will establish a sprawling hotel at the proposed site with the collaboration of a German firm. At present, a representative of a leading Pakistani business group is negotiating the deal with the Punjab government on behalf of the Saudi investor.

Sources said that higher price of land was offered to Punjab government with the condition to skip auction which is imperative under the rules. However, according to some circles, this land should be sold much higher than the agreed price of Rs 25 million per kanal as the prime site would be used for commercial purpose.

Punjab government has set up a committee under Law Minister Raja Basharat to supervise the whole affair while a representative of the Pakistani partner Provincial Finance Minister and Secretary Finance are members of the committee. Punjab Chief Minister himself has showed keen interest in striking the deal and subsequently a special cabinet meeting has been convened to approve it.

Punjab government owns land of GoR. The proposed piece of land is currently housing top provincial high-ups including the Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Assembly. Several business groups are planning constructing luxury hotels in the city with the gradual progress in the Indo-Pak peace process. Lahore, a border city, is being conceived as a major transit town in the wake of projected free trade links with neighbouring countries and the Central Asian States.



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Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Ham-fisted raid by LDA

* Construction material worth Rs 1.5m damaged
* LDA DG says he will take action against staff if notice not issued

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) encroachment wing on Monday raided a construction site in H-Block Gulberg and damaged construction material worth Rs 1.5 million despite the fact that the management of PACE had obtained a month’s permission from the Gulberg Town nazim to use a side road along the construction site.

According to the special permission issued by Ali Abbas Bukhari, Gulberg Town tehsil municipal officer (TMO), on March 29, 2006, the PACE management had agreed to pay debris charges to the city district government to use the side road.

Moeed Rehman, chief operating officer of PACE Pakistan, said that no LDA official had informed his people about residents complaining nor had they issued any notice about problems being faced by residents. He said, “LDA should not take such action without issuing a show cause notice or any other notice.” He said the usage of the side road had not disturbed anybody because there was another road a few yards away from the side road being used by PACE, which could be used by residents and nobody had complained to the management about the issue.

He said Gulberg Town Nazim Faraz Chaudhry had visited the construction site and allowed the PACE management to use the side road, as it did not cause inconvenience the residents. He alleged that Gulberg Union Council (UC) Nazim Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor was behind the action because he had threatened the PACE management on several occasions.

He said Mr Ghafoor owned a 2.5 kanal godown, which he wanted to rent out to PACE for Rs 200,000 a month, but the PACE management was not interested because it rented out a 5 kanal godown for Rs 150,000.He said Mr Ghafoor started threatening the PACE management by saying he was under immense pressure from nearby residents to have the construction stopped. He said Mr Ghafoor also threatened the PACE management, saying he could get together hundreds of people to stop construction work. After Mr Ghafoor’s threats, the PACE management sought special permission from the Gulberg Town nazim after he visited the site, Mr Rehman said, adding, “The nazim permitted PACE to go ahead with the construction after checking whether residents were being affected by the work.”

When contacted, LDA Director General Raja Abbas expressed ignorance over the action taken by LDA’s encroachment wing. Mr Abbas said he had received several complaints from residents about the usage of the side road. However, if LDA staff had taken action without intimating the PACE management, he would take strict administrative action against those involved in the disturbance, he added. Mr Ghafoor was unavailable for comment.

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