Daily Times

LAHORE: The number of illegal constructions inside the Walled City of Lahore has risen to 528 in the last five years, Daily Times has learnt.

These are plazas built in place of heritage homes and aged buildings demolished in the limits of the area that falls under the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA). Most of these structures are concentrated around Shah Alam and Masti Gate areas.

Many of these buildings features violations of plans like addition of stories over and above the number sanctioned by the authorities.

Talking to Daily Times, Qamar Islam, a resident of the Walled City, said residents were moving out of the area because of illegal constructions and increased commercial activities. “Most of the people living in old homes prefer to sell their property to plaza mafia as they get good money out of it and some people are forced to sell their property. These people later move out of walled city.”

On the matter of Illegal constructions, a longtime resident of the walled city area, Mian Yousuf Salahuddin, said, “these illegal constructions and especially the increase in commercialisation is creating a negative impact on the city and devastating the beauty of the past remains. I think the shoe markets and flammable material producing markets are the most hazardous threat to the residents and the city. My Haveli became a victim when someone threw flammable material into the open sewage drain on which a passerby dropped a lit cigarette and the fire was all over the place. Since I had firefighting equipment, I was able to save the place, otherwise it would have been burned down. Those who lack such facilities have no chance to escape any fire incident and many people have died in such accidents as the streets are narrow and firefighting vehicles can’t access them easily.”

He demanded that markets where such material was produced should immediately be shifted out of the protected territory. “They have ruined the beauty and romance of our heritage. There are illegal constructions on government owned land and an obvious example is the Rim Market, which is all illegal. Local influentials and councilors have helped the land mafia in constructions. There are three basements of a plaza built on three marla space, such buildings are a grave threat to the city”, he lamented. According to Mian Yousuf, tourism would not be able to flourish if the existing condition persists. He said that unless these illegal constructions were stopped, the residents would keep moving out of the city. He said heritage homes were being converted into plazas and if tourism needed to be developed then the models of Fez or Morroco should be studied. He said that the WCLA was not being provided with required and effective force neither it’s being empowered to take actions against these illegalities. He added that WCLA has tried to carry out operations against these illegal constructions but they fail to get the support from the line agencies and departments. “I think WCLA should also have its own police force for the enforcement of the law”, he suggested.

When asked about the issue, WCLA Deputy Director Building Control Mubashir Hassan said a mechanism had been designed and it was now being implemented by the WCLA to control illegal constructions. “We have served almost 920 notices against the owners / possessors for illegal demolition and constructions. WCLA has requested the Home Department through Deputy Commissioner Lahore to impose Section 144 against the digging of basements inside the Walled City of Lahore, but so far it is not imposed.”

According to given provisions in WCLA Act 2012, the enforcement team has sealed 92 unauthorized constructions however 17 dangerously constructed buildings have also been partially demolished and 3 properties which were constructed on Government Land were completely demolished. Building Control wing of WCLA has lodged 736 FIRs and moved 275 requests to Magistrate for imposing the fine under section 45 WCLA Act 2012. Almost 78 properties have been recommended for Contempt of Court”, Mubashir said. He further added that on 20th January 2016 the Honorable Lahore High Court Lahore had directed the CCPO Lahore to extend complete support to the WCLA during operations against illegal construction.

Published in Daily Times, April 26^th 2018.