Punjab Province

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has proposed the construction of a major underground parking plaza between Data Darbar and Bhatti Gate in Lahore, as part of efforts to address chronic parking shortages and traffic congestion in one of the city’s busiest and most historically significant areas.
According to the proposal, the project will be developed over approximately 22 kanals of land and is estimated to cost more than Rs8.225 billion. The plan has been forwarded to the Punjab chief minister for approval before further development and construction arrangements can proceed.
The Lahore Development Authority, LDA, and the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency, TEPA, have jointly prepared the cost estimates and initial project framework.
The LDA director general has also sought approval to include the proposed parking plaza in the development programme for the current financial year, along with the allocation of the required funds for its construction.
The project is being planned as a three-level underground parking facility equipped with modern transport and parking technologies.
According to the proposed design, the facility will include an Intelligent Transportation System, automated parking arrangements and dedicated charging stations for electric vehicles.
Once completed, the plaza is expected to provide parking space for around 600 cars and 1,700 motorcycles.
The facility is primarily intended to serve visitors to Data Darbar, while also easing parking pressure for residents, traders, businesses and commuters in the surrounding areas.
Data Darbar and Bhatti Gate form part of a heavily congested zone where a large volume of daily pedestrian and vehicular traffic creates persistent mobility and parking challenges.
The proposed underground facility is expected to reduce roadside parking and improve traffic circulation by shifting a significant number of vehicles away from streets and surrounding access roads.
The new proposal comes after infrastructure improvements already undertaken in the area, including the Bhatti Underpass and Data Darbar upgrade projects.
Officials are also considering whether the construction work should be assigned to TEPA rather than the LDA Engineering Wing.
A final decision on the executing agency, funding arrangements and construction schedule will be taken after approval from the competent authorities.
If approved, the project would become one of Lahore’s major underground parking facilities and could play an important role in improving accessibility around Data Darbar and the adjoining historic areas.
The combination of large-scale underground parking, automated systems and EV charging infrastructure is also expected to support the government’s broader efforts to modernize urban transport facilities in Lahore while reducing pressure on limited surface space.
The project will move into implementation only after receiving the necessary administrative and financial approvals.

Khushab : ReNews Pakistan
Monitoring of ongoing urban infrastructure projects under the Punjab Development Programme has been intensified, with development schemes worth more than Rs12 billion currently underway across Khushab district.
Punjab Local Government Secretary Zaid Bin Maqsood visited Khushab and Jauharabad to review progress on the projects and assess the pace and quality of ongoing development work.
The Deputy Commissioner Khushab and officials from relevant departments were also present during the visit. The Local Government Secretary was given a detailed briefing on sewerage, drainage, disposal stations, underground water storage tanks and other urban infrastructure schemes being implemented in Khushab and Jauharabad.
Officials said development projects worth more than Rs12 billion are currently being executed in the district under the Punjab Development Programme. Desilting work on the Shewala Drain and its associated sub branch has already been completed, while work is continuing at other locations to improve the drainage system.
Both major underground water storage tanks in Jauharabad have also been completed. The Local Government Secretary directed officials to begin restoration of affected roads and parks immediately after completion of the related works so that inconvenience caused to residents by construction activity could be reduced.
Zaid Bin Maqsood also inspected ongoing work at the Shewala Drain and expressed satisfaction with the progress. He instructed the concerned officials to ensure compliance with approved construction standards and project timelines and to avoid unnecessary delays.
Work to improve drainage infrastructure in Khushab and Jauharabad has been underway for several months. According to a report by the Associated Press of Pakistan in April, a disposal project at Ghala Mandi in Jauharabad was inspected under the Punjab Development Programme, with officials directed to improve the local sewerage and drainage network.
Recent local reports have also indicated that new sewerage lines are being laid in different parts of Khushab and Jauharabad while work is continuing on several disposal facilities. Development work on the Shewala Drain is also among the district's major drainage improvement schemes.
The projects form part of the Punjab government's broader Punjab Development Programme, which includes extensive sewerage networks, new and upgraded disposal stations, underground water storage tanks and other urban infrastructure projects across dozens of cities.
By July, 82 underground water storage tanks had reportedly been completed across Punjab, while work on a number of drains had either been completed or reached its final stages. The projects are aimed at improving stormwater management, reducing the risk of urban flooding and increasing the capacity of municipal drainage systems.
Zaid Bin Maqsood said monitoring of Punjab Development Programme projects would continue on a regular basis and directed officials to strictly meet targets related to quality, pace of work and completion timelines.

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab Information Commission (PIC) has issued a show cause notice to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Deputy Commissioner Lahore office over the alleged failure to provide property records sought by a woman seeking to establish inheritance rights for herself and her children.
Information Commissioner Bushra Saqib issued the notice to Waqas Anjum, PIO at the DC Lahore office, after the Commission found that the concerned public body had not adequately responded to the complainant or to repeated attempts by the Commission to obtain a proper response in the matter.
The case relates to an application filed under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013, and raises broader questions about the practical difficulties citizens can face when attempting to obtain official land and property records from government departments.
The complaint was filed by Samina Zafar against the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Lahore. According to the Commission's proceedings, Zafar is seeking ownership documents relating to a house reportedly owned by her deceased husband.
She requires the documents to establish the ownership status of the property and claim the inheritance shares belonging to her and her children.
The Punjab Information Commission took up Complaint No. 8-1-2026-1 on August 10, 2026. However, no representative of the respondent public body appeared before the Commission during the proceedings.
According to the case record, Zafar submitted another application to the Commission on August 6, stating that she had repeatedly visited the office of the concerned patwari but had been unable to obtain the required assistance or property documents.
The complainant had provided the complete address of the house in her Right to Information application. However, in a letter dated February 24, 2026, the PIO of the DC Lahore office informed her that the relevant record could not be traced without additional technical details.
These included the Khasra number, Khatooni number, mutation number, date of registration or mutation and the name of the relevant tehsil.
The Commission questioned this position, observing that requiring an applicant to already possess detailed technical information could undermine the purpose of seeking assistance through the Right to Information mechanism.
It noted, in effect, that if the complainant already had access to all the required land-record particulars, there would be little reason for her to approach the authorities under the RTI law to obtain the information.
The matter is particularly significant because the requested documents are not being sought merely for general information but are linked to the determination of property ownership and inheritance rights. Access to such records can be essential for legal heirs attempting to establish their claims following the death of a property owner.
The issuance of the show-cause notice means the concerned official will now be required to explain the failure to adequately facilitate access to the requested information.
The case also highlights the importance of accessible land-record systems and effective implementation of Punjab's Right to Information law, particularly for citizens who may know the location and identity of a property but do not possess specialised revenue record details needed to trace official documents.