Building a house can be a daunting task for beginners. The primary source of information is, more often than not, either friends or relatives who might have prior experience in this regard. The accounts can range from convenient to dreadful, depending on how familiar they were with the different elements involved in building a house. While getting acquainted with construction and materials is essential, it’s equally important to know all about the different departments that are involved in the house building process. If you live in Lahore and want to build your dream home, make sure you know all about the departments mentioned in this piece.
List Of Departments Involved In House Building
If you have built a house once, then you most probably already know the process, but if you are new in this field then you must have a lot of questions. There are many frequently asked questions about construction permits and terms and not everyone is familiar with those. This blog will help you.
There are different departments involved in the construction of a house. It begins with the acquisition of land and extends upto the completion of building. It also involves obtaining of permits and completion certificates. Departments that are involved in the process are listed below:
- Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA)
- Lahore Development Authority (LDA)
- Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO)
- Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL)
- Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA)
Let’s dig into the details of all these departments and why they are important in the house building process.
Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA)
Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA) is a department where you can check and confirm the ownership of land. In 2007, the Government of Punjab signed an agreement with the World Bank to enhance the transparency in land transactions and give complete access of land records to landholders. The project was initiated to avoid any malpractices was called Land Record Management and Information System (LRMIS) and upon its completion, PLRA was formed.
PLRA comes under the administrative control of the Board of Revenue, Government of Punjab. The vision of the authority is to make and maintain a system that is accountable, equitable, secure and efficient for land records and eradicates patwari culture.
Lahore Development Authority (LDA)
Lahore Development Authority (LDA) is the body that administers all the developments and planning in the jurisdiction of Lahore. The purpose of this authority is to manage initiatives relevant to transport, development and housing in the metropole while maintaining certain standards.
If you are building your own house and you have bought the land, you will need a design plan for the construction of your house. The role of LDA in the construction and development of towns and houses is more than just design approval. In Lahore, every town and house planned and developed is recorded with LDA and every new town has to get approval before development or else it will be illegal.
Duties Of LDA
- Issuance of permits and NOCs
- Regulates new constructions
- Approval for building plan
- Approval of private schemes
- Plot transfer
- Completion certificates
Three Wings Of LDA
- Urban Development Wing: it is responsible for planning, designing and development of projects
- Water And Sanitation Agency: it is dedicated to planning, designing, development, maintenance, water supply, sewerage and drainage system in Lahore
- Traffic Engineering Planning Agency (TEPA): This looks after maintaining all the road, transport, and traffic projects in Lahore.
LDA has a fully functional website and LDA going digital is another step towards the advancement in procedures and addressing queries of residents of Lahore.
Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO)
After you have gotten the approval from LDA for design and development, the next step in the process is getting a line for electricity. Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) is your next stop for getting an electricity supply connection which you can do at LESCO’s website where there is a complete form, required documents along with terms and conditions.
Electric supply is necessary because it’s also needed during the construction of the house and after its completion, of course. For the supply of different voltages, the time duration required to install the connection varies and it’s usually counted from the day the application has been registered till the day connection is installed.
Documents Required For Getting A New Electricity Connection
Following documents will be required to apply for a new electricity connection:
- Property document copy
- Attested CNIC copy of applicant
- Attested CNIC copy of witness
- Neighbour’s electricity bill copy
Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL)
A gas connection is not that urgent but it would be better if you submit the application in the early phase of construction. It would take a huge burden off your shoulders.
We have already written a guide for you on how to get a new gas connection; it also includes different types of gas connections and all the documents required to submit the application.
Type Of Gas Connections
For an overview, there are three types of gas connections:
- Domestic
- Commercial
- Industrial
Documents Required For Getting a New Gas Connection
You will need following documents to submit your application for any of the above-mentioned types of gas meters:
- Photocopy of Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC)
- Photocopy of the Layout Plan of the House/Building/Factory premises
- National Tax Number (NTN) or Tax Return (TR) Certificate from Income Tax Department
- Photocopy of the Registry of the House/Building/Factory (if you own the property)
- Photocopy of the Lease Agreement (If You Are A Tenant)
- Photocopy of Partnership Deed Along with the List of Partners
- Power Of Attorney In Case Of a Business Partnership
- Affidavit of Ownership/Proprietorship (if you are a sole proprietor)
Water And Sanitation Agency (WASA)
Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) is responsible for the planning, designing, development and maintenance of water supply sewerage and drainage system in Lahore. It comes directly under Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and has its separate wing.
Unlike electricity connection, water and sanitation lines and underground in Lahore. In order to apply for the connection from WASA, the builder or town planner has to submit an application prior to submitting the design.
Types Of Water Connections By WASA
There are four different types of water connections sanctioned by WASA:
- Domestic (Metered)
- Commercial (Metered)
- Industrial (Metered)
- Charitable
Documents Required For New Water Connection
For a new water connection, the following documents need to be submitted along with the new connection form:
- Attested photocopy of CNIC
- Attested photocopy of sale deed/proof of ownership
- Copy of the assessment (Excise and Taxation Dept.) specify the dept. instead of giving abbreviations
- Site Plan to indicate location of property
Property Taxes
Property Tax is the amount paid by the owner of the property to the government. This is levied annually but the tax year dates are different from the standard calendar that starts from January and ends in December.
Tax Year: A tax year starts from 1st July of every year and ends on 30th June. For example, the tax year for the year 2020 started on 1st July 2020 and will end on 30th June 2021.
There are different property taxes that you need to be aware of as a beginner in the industry.
- Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
- Capital Value Tax (CVT)
- Stamp Duty
- Withholding Tax or Advance Tax
Rate of Tax
Rate of tax levied by the Excise, Taxation & Narcotics Control Department, Government of Punjab is 5% of the annual value at which the property may be let out.
Who Collects Property Taxes
The Department of Excise, Taxation & Narcotics Control Department, Government of Punjab collects all property taxes.
Being a beginner, there are a lot of terms commonly used in property and construction which you might not know but by the time you are done with your first project, you will be well versed with them.
You can also contact the aforementioned departments via their websites all of which are active and updated. If you’re a resident of the City of Garden, make sure to go over LDA checklist for safe and successful investments in Lahore.
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