LAHORE: The location for the Shahdara Shelter Homes – one of the five to be constructed in the provincial capital on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s orders – might be changed owing to the high-pressure gas pipelines that pass from under the proposed site of construction, Pakistan Today has learnt.
According to sources, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) had acquired one kanal land for the establishment of the shelter homes, which is owned by the Punjab Highways Department.
“After the acquisition, LDA conducted a joint inspection with other departments, during which it was revealed that 16 inches wide high-pressure gas pipelines lie underneath,” they said, adding that construction work was immediately halted after the discovery.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) also asked LDA to immediately stop any work to avoid an untoward incident, sources stated further.
“LDA has now written a letter to Punjab chief secretary wherein all details of the land have been mentioned. The authority, in the letter, has also requested to change the location and acquire alternate land,” sources told Pakistan Today and added that a committee has been constituted to look into it.
They added that LDA had not checked the sites properly before proposing them for the shelter homes and this was why the project, for the time being, was lying in limbo.
Speaking to Pakistan Today, LDA chief engineer Mazhar Hussain Khan confirmed that high-pressure gas pipelines were discovered under the proposed site.
“We are now considering to change the location of the project or relocating the pipelines.”
However, he said, it was likely that the project would be relocated while keeping in view the details and the final decision in this regard would be announced by Monday.
