Environment-friendly construction: minister highlights PSPA’s role

LAHORE: Punjab Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq has said that the establishment of the Punjab Spatial Planning Authority (PSPA) has opened the way for environment friendly construction.

“The authority will work to protect green spaces, forests, and agricultural lands,” he stated during a meeting about PSPA on Saturday. The meeting was also attended by Special Secretary Asia Gul and the PSPA Director General.

The Minister further noted that the Authority’s Planning Support System (PSS) is linked to the dashboard of each district; after the master planning of the districts, PSPA now possesses an excellent database. PSS will be an important tool for balanced growth and sustainable development, supporting housing, industry, and the transport department.

Similarly, advisory services are being provided to the environment, planning and development, and economic development sectors. The authority will also review the regularisation of schemes established without proper approval,” he added.

Rafiq also mentioned that the e-construction portal is connected with the e-Biz platform of the Punjab government. “The entire process for the approval of housing societies is now available online. The creation of the e-construction portal has eliminated the need for unnecessary departmental NOCs. Applications submitted through the e-construction portal will be processed within the stipulated timeframe. More user-friendly features will be added to the e-construction portal,” he continued.

He cautioned that PSPA will face several challenges in the beginning, making self-accountability and transparency essential as they move forward. He emphasised the need to prevent the indiscriminate use of agricultural land and to protect green areas. “Citizens and developers need to understand which areas are designated as ‘green’ and which fall under the category of ‘grey’. Special Planning Authority will also support industrial zones,” he added.

Rafiq pointed out that investment in the real estate sector must be fully secured.

“The greater the transparency, the greater the public’s confidence,” he observed, adding that the digitisation system is a key focus of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. “Various facilities are being provided to citizens at home, and the culture of long queues and excessive paperwork is being eliminated,” he said.

The Minister directed that boards displaying master planning details should be prominently displayed in every district and tehsil for the guidance of citizens.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026