City District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood has said that keeping in view the futuristic business needs of the city of Lahore a master plan for the development of infrastructure has already been prepared and is in implementation phase.
He stated this while speaking at inauguration ceremony of Lahore Hall of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Saturday.
The district Nazim highlighted various issues ranging from traffic mess at city roads to draining out of rainy water. He said that the roads of Lahore are wider than that of London so there is a need to improve traffic discipline to solve all traffic related issues. In order to encourage parking plazas in the city, the district government has done away with all types of taxes including commercialisation and map approval fee, he added.
With a view to ensuring smooth flow of traffic in the city, the government has already completed recruitment of 3,000 new police cops on the pattern of Motorway Police, he added. He said that light transit rail project for the city has been finalised and in the first phase the train would run from Kotlakhpat to Ravi Bridge on which daily 250,000 people would travel. "Number of franchise buses in the city is also being increased," he added
He said due to district government efforts the pumping out of rainy water in the city was quite speedy this time as compared to Karachi and Hyderabad where the rains had played havoc. "Plan is on the anvil to done away with toll tax at Ravi Bridge, as a suggestion in this regard had already been forward to the concerned authorities," he added.
LCCI President said over the last couple of years the macro economic indicators of the country have shown a significant improvement due to a number of reforms undertaken by the government in different areas. "Under the second-generation reforms, which are to be a more challenging job, the government is to withdraw itself from doing business but to confine its role to providing an investment friendly environment to the private sector that is to play the role of an engine of growth," he added.
He invited the attention of the city Nazim towards qabza groups saying that how could foreign investors invest in Pakistan when the life and property of local businessmen is not safe from dacoits, robbers and land grabbers.
LCCI Senior Vice President Abdul Basit said that there has been a mushroom growth of encroachments in the city, which is creating problems for the citizens and the commuters. "The Circular Garden around the walled city has completely been eaten away by the encroachers. Workshops and hotels are doing business on the roads and footpaths. Residential colonies are full of encroachments and are also being opened to commercial activities with or without commercialisation fee in violation of the standard urban planning practices. It is suggested that an aggressive clean up operation should be initiated," he observed.
LCCI Vice President Aftab Ahmad Vohra said that Local Bodies of Punjab are charging Rs 5 per sq.ft. for issuance of NOC and Rs 5 per sq.ft. for building plan approval for establishment of industry in Punjab. "The Chief Minister Punjab had directed to exempt industries being established in the industrial estates in Punjab from these charges. It is requested that this facility should be extended to the industries including poultry, hatchery and feed mills. Former LCCI/FPCCI President Iftikhar Ali Malik and former SVP Sohail Lashari were also present on the occasion.