Lahore: The Governing Body of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) gave a green signal to the construction of a 40-storey (400 feet) hotel on the Mall Road of Lahore. However, the building plan will be approved in a high-level meeting chaired by the Chief Minister.
It is the second high-rise building to be approved by the LDA this year after the 45-storey building in Johar Town’s Finance and Trade Center (FTC). Reportedly, in 2006, the privatization commission requested the government to grant relaxation for the construction of a hotel (Services International Hotel), as the commission was entrusted with the task to sell the piece of land. Later on, LDA’s governing body took the matter up and approved the plan as per request.
“On the request of the director-general (privatization commission), the case was processed and placed in the LDA governing body meeting on April 29, 2006. The authority approved relaxation of height up to 400 ft. It was also observed that since the site abuts Upper Mall, which is a controlled area under building regulations, the scrutiny/approval of building plan is to be finalized by the special committee headed by the chief secretary. Therefore clearance from the chief secretary was solicited and the same was also granted to the concerned office in LDA,” LDA’s working paper reads.
