DC's notification for takeover of 15 roads suspended.

LAHORE -- The government has suspended the notification of taking over building control of 15 prime roads in the city district by the deputy commissioner-led high level design committee reportedly over the concerns shown by the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) of Pakistan.

The association had written a complaint to Prime Minister Imran Khan against the notification.

'On Jan 23, Deputy Commissioner Mudassir Riaz Malik had issued a notification, declaring 15 city roads to be part of the areas controlled by design committee. However, the notification was suspended after the PM took notice of ABAD's complaint to him that had termed the move against the spirit of facilitating business-something on the priority list of the government,' an official source told Dawn on Thursday.

According to Jan 23 notification, the DC had declared 15 city roads as controlled area of the high level committee he headed to approve building plans on the important roads. The committee has already been approving building plans of 20 roads in the metropolis.

New move comes after concerns expressed by developers

'In pursuance of the Government of Punjab Local Government and Community Development Notification bearing No SO.Estate(LG)2-64/2006 (A) (Part-I) of December 9, 2019 and the decision taken thereof in the meeting of High Level Design Committee (HLDC) held on January 15, 2021, I Muddassir Riaz Malik, Deputy Commissioner/Chairman HLDC hereby declare Main Boulevard Road, M.M. Alam Road, Noor Jahan Road, Mehmood Kasoori Road, Ali Zeb Road and Zahoor Elahi Road in Gulberg. Kalma Chowk to Jinnah Hospital (Allama Shabir Ahmed Usmani Road), PEECO Road, College Road, Model Town Link Road, Doctor Hospital to Expo Center, Johar Town (Abdul Haq Road), Thokar Niaz Baig to Shoukat Khanam (Nazria Pakistan Road), Main Raiwind Road, Egerton Road and Maulana Shaukat Ali Road as HLDC controlled roads in addition to already notified roads (sic),' reads the notification.

It sought that the building plans of commercial and industrial buildings, including multi-storey residential buildings, falling on the aforementioned roads, within 200 yards of either side should be placed before the design committee within the timeline approved/notified by the government for ratification and consideration.

'No building plan shall be sanctioned after issuance of this notification on declared roads, unless it is presented before HLDC for ratification,' it warned.

At this, ABAD immediately...