Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Khalid Mahmood on Tuesday issued notice to the National Highway Authority (NHA) and other respondents on a petition questioning the legal sanction behind commercial constructions on the sides of National Highways.
On the petition of advocate Arif Karim, the court also passed interim orders regarding issuance of no objection certificate (NOC) by the respondents for allowing commercial activity on the sides of the highways.
The petitioner, in the public interest, submitted to the court that rules and regulations allowed no commercial construction or activity within 220 feet on both sides of national highways and that all facilities to the commuters and passengers should be provided at one place on the pattern adopted at the Motorway.
The petitioner argued that despite stated rules, the respondents issued NOCs for commercial constructions on the both sides of the highways within the 220 feet limit, as close as a yard from the road. The petitioner alleged that the NHA corruption had allowed the illegal constructions to creep up and ignore a serious hazard to commuter lives. He requested that the court direct authorities to demolish all fuel stations, hotels, restaurants and other commercial sites set up in violation of NHA rules.
He also requested that the court to take action against officials responsible. The court issued notice to the respondents after hearing the preliminary arguments of the petitioner.
