LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has failed to improve service delivery as the people continue facing delaying tactics for resolution of their applications.

In a recent incident, the applicants lodged complaints with LDA Director General (DG) Tahir Farooq against the directorate of LDA Avenue-1 Housing Scheme during his visit. A complainant stopped the vehicle of the DG in protest, Dawn has learnt.

“The situation turned embarrassing after the complainants appeared harsh with the DG, criticising the officers for not disposing of their applications since long, raising unnecessary objections. The DG expressed annoyance with the officials concerned, asking them to improve service delivery or face action,” says an officer, privy to the development.

“The situation became more embarrassing when a complainant rushed towards the DG’s vehicle and held it for some time to record his protest,” the official, requesting anonymity, adds.

People lose their cool during DG’s visit to LDA Avenue-1

According to another official source, the service delivery at the LDA’s one-window cell both at Avenue-1 and Johar Town is deteriorating gradually due to mismanagement.

He points out that the LDA governing body has not been formed despite the passage of three months.

“The governing body, headed by the CM, makes important decisions to steer the authority into the right direction. But neither the body has been reconstituted nor did the CM bother about it,” the official laments.

Speaking to Dawn, a complainant accused the LDA of using delaying tactics to mint money. “At least for the last one year or so, I have been continuously visiting the LDA offices at Johar Town and Avenue-1 for allocation of alternate plot after the full size of my plot did not appear as per measurement mentioned in the file. I have become a shuttlecock between various directorates of the LDA,” he says.

Another complainant has also criticised the LDA staff at one-window cell in Johar Town, stating that raising useless objections to applications has become a routine.

A spokesman for the LDA also quoted DG Tahir Farooq as expressing anger with the officers during his recent visit to Avenue-1 Housing Scheme directorate. He says the DG directed the officers to ensure completion of the one-window cells as soon as possible to facilitate the people. He also directed the officers to submit a report on pending applications.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2024