Station Commander Lahore Cantonment, Brigadier Ghulam Farooq has said that irregular and illegal housing schemes were being regularised under a phased programme in order to provide civic amenities to the residents of the cantonment boards.
He was addressing a press conference here Tuesday. Chief Executive Officer of Lahore Cantonment Board, Shabbir Baloch and Chief Executive Officer Walton Cantonment Board, Major Zafar Akhtar (Retd), were also present on the occasion.
Brigadier Ghulam Farooq asked the authorities of co-operative housing societies in the cantonment areas to seek formal approval from the cantonment boards so that residents of these societies could be provided basic amenities.
To a question he said that housing schemes such as Eden Society and Air Avenue had not yet sought cantonment board's approval.
He said that local bodies' elections would not be held in cantonment board areas on July 30. The federal government would announce fresh date for holding elections in 44 cantonment boards and federal areas. "However, we are prepared to hold local bodies' elections at any time," he said.
It was further learnt that Lahore Cantonment Board would spend Rs151.973 million on development works during the financial year 2005-06 as compared to Rs133.577 million spent last year. The development works would be executed in the areas of Sadar Bazar, Main Cant, extended area and villages. The cantonment budget has been increased from Rs527 million in 2004-05 to Rs684.94 million in 2005-06.
Walton Cantonment Board has planned to spend Rs159.77 million on construction, expansion and widening of roads. Rs25 million have been allocated for widening/repairing of Masood Anwari Road with provision of drain cum footpath from Sher Khan Chowk to Khalid Butt Chowk, Rs22.30 million for construction of link road from Khurshid Alam Road to Ahmed Bukhsh (RA Bazaar Bus Stop), Rs22.80 million for widening/improvement of Ahmed Bukhsh Road (dual track), Rs32.8 million for widening of Walton Road with service road and footpath from Rahat Bakers to Khayabane Iqbal (on both sides of road phase-II), Rs6.87 million have been earmarked for construction/widening and re-carpeting of main road Nishat Colony, Rs10 million for widening of Walton Road with central median from Nadeem Chowk to Sher Khan Chowk and Rs 40 million have been planned to spend for re-carpeting of roads in Cavalry Ground and extended area.
Similarly, Rs16 million have been allocated for laying down 9000 meters water supply line while Rs14.856 million would be spent on provision of sewerage pipeline measuring 5837 meters in different area of Walton Cantonment Board.
During last three years, the Board executed various development works. Besides, through underground wiring, sodium lights had been installed with poles on all major roads, he added.
To provide clean drinking water and overcome water shortage, tube-wells were installed. Main, sub-main and lateral sewer lines were also been laid and the Board's vision for the next five years was to provide this facility to whole of its area, Brigadier Farooq added.
The Board had developed and maintained green belts along the roads to increase beauty.
Responding to a question, Brigadier Farooq said that not a single penny was being spent out of defence budget for development purpose in the cantonment areas and all the expenditures were met out through self-generated funds.
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