Lahore Division

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (PCBDDA), widely known as CBD Punjab, has commissioned the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) to carry out a fresh technical and financial feasibility study for the Route 47 Solarisation Project, following recent changes in Pakistan’s electricity compensation framework.
The decision comes after the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) replaced the previous net metering mechanism with a net billing system. According to CBD Punjab, the regulatory change has significantly altered the financial assumptions on which the original project was designed, making it necessary to reassess the project's economic feasibility and investment outlook.
The Route 47 Solarisation Project was initially estimated to cost around PKR 135 million and was planned as part of CBD Punjab’s broader strategy to integrate renewable energy solutions into urban infrastructure. However, officials believe the revised electricity compensation model requires a fresh evaluation of the project's financial sustainability before implementation can proceed.
Under the new assignment, NESPAK will review the updated project cost, expected return on investment, operational savings, and long-term financial performance under the net billing regime. The study will also examine alternative implementation models and financing options to ensure the project remains commercially viable while supporting CBD Punjab’s environmental sustainability objectives.
Officials said the reassessment is intended to align the project with current regulatory requirements and evolving market conditions, ensuring that public investment delivers maximum economic and environmental benefits.
Once the feasibility study is completed, CBD Punjab will review NESPAK’s recommendations and decide on the most suitable implementation strategy. The authority will subsequently initiate a fresh procurement process based on the revised technical specifications, financial model, and project parameters.
The Route 47 Solarisation Project forms part of CBD Punjab’s wider vision of developing energy-efficient, climate-resilient urban infrastructure and promoting greater use of renewable energy in major public development projects across Lahore.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has announced the introduction of a centralised monitoring system for all housing schemes across the province in an effort to improve transparency, ensure accurate record-keeping and strengthen regulatory oversight in the real estate sector.
Punjab Housing Minister Bilal Yasin made the announcement during a review meeting in which officials also examined progress on proposed legislation aimed at preventing illegal construction and unauthorised housing schemes.
The minister said the provincial government was committed to ensuring strict compliance with legal and regulatory requirements in the housing sector. He added that resolving the difficulties faced by residents of illegal and unapproved housing societies remained one of the government’s key priorities.
Bilal Yasin warned that housing societies failing to register with the Housing Society Management System would face action from the relevant authorities.
According to the minister, the new digital monitoring framework will combine data from the National Database and Registration Authority, digital land maps and electronic registration services. The integration is expected to help authorities verify ownership records, identify irregular transactions and reduce the risk of fraud.
He also announced that Punjab had ended the practice of buying and selling plots through the traditional file system and was moving towards the issuance of Green Property Certificates.
The certificates are intended to provide buyers and owners with verified property documentation and reduce disputes arising from unregistered or duplicate property files.
The minister urged citizens to verify the legal status of housing societies through the Punjab Land Records Authority before purchasing a plot, house or other property.
He said buyers should confirm whether a scheme had received the required approvals and whether its land and ownership records were available in the official system.
Bilal Yasin said the digitisation of housing and property records would improve accountability, simplify property verification and make it more difficult for illegal developers to mislead buyers.
The centralised system is also expected to allow provincial authorities to monitor the approval status, registration details and legal compliance of housing schemes through a single platform.
The government believes that greater use of digital records and verified property certificates will help protect buyers, reduce fraudulent transactions and restore public confidence in Punjab’s real estate market.

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
The Walled City of Lahore Authority has launched a comprehensive safety campaign in the historic inner-city area ahead of the monsoon season, completing a detailed structural survey of residential and heritage buildings.
According to the authority, a total of 254 unsafe buildings were identified during the survey. Of these, 101 were declared repairable, and their owners were issued notices directing them to carry out immediate restoration and safety work.
Officials said 105 dilapidated buildings had already been vacated as a precautionary measure, while 48 critically dangerous structures had been declared unfit for habitation and recommended for demolition or controlled removal.
Property owners have also been instructed to either undertake urgent repairs or vacate the buildings without delay to prevent any loss of life or property.
The authority said continuous monitoring of unsafe structures was under way. It has also directed residents and property owners to ensure the timely cleaning of rooftops, drains, sewers and downpipes to reduce the risk of damage during heavy monsoon rainfall.