Delay in balloting for LDA City plots irks buyers

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–LDA official says delay in allotment caused due to ongoing NAB investigations against authority

LAHORE: Thousands of buyers have been left worried due to the delay in balloting of their plots in Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) upcoming housing scheme, the LDA city, Pakistan Today has learnt.

Located on Ferozepur Road, LDA City is proposed to be one of the biggest housing societies by LDA and is currently in its development phase.  According to officials, the society is being established at an area of 60,000 kanals and at least 15,000 kanals have already been procured by LDA for private partners involved in the project.

According to details, over 7,000 files of the society had been sold out before December 2017, while LDA had announced the balloting for plots in February 2018. Despite the passage of another seven months, LDA has been unable to conduct the balloting, which has vexed the buyers.

Amir Khan, 45, a buyer told this scribe LDA had earlier informed him that balloting would be held in February 2018; however, later he was told to wait for another couple of months. He said that now LDA officials were not telling him or other buyers anything about the balloting of plots.

“The fact that several litigation issues have surfaced in different housing schemes developed by LDA earlier has added to my concerns,” Amir added.

As per the master plan of the society, LDA City has been launched on the basis of land-sharing methodology between development partners and LDA. According to LDA officials’ claims, other than being one of the largest housing schemes of the province, LDA City aims to boost Lahore’s economic life.

It has also been claimed that LDA City was designed on the state-of-the-art urban development model, making provision of housing units of all categories attractive to people from all walks of life.

An official, on the condition of anonymity, told Pakistan Today that the delay of balloting of plots had been caused due to the ongoing probes of different matters of LDA by the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB). “Balloting will be held once LDA is cleared by NAB,” he added.

Meanwhile, LDA spokesperson told this scribe the names of all the buyers had been uploaded on LDA’s website, and so no one should be worried about the allotment of plots. “Anyone, who has registered for the balloting process, will be provided with their plots,” he added.