Lahore: Despite all the opposition the Orange Line Metro Train project has seen lately, the Punjab government has decided to acquire more land for the PKR 165 billion project.
Reportedly, the government had previously issued a notification to acquire 1,165 kanals of private land. Now, a new notification, issued on January 20, states that 90 more kanals will be acquired for the project in various mauzas.
The notification issued under Section 5 of the Land Acquisition Act 1894 mentioned that the government plans to acquire land in mauzas such as Handoo, Baghbanpura, Devipura, Iqbal Town, Nawankot, Shadipura, Kharak, Street Scheme, Naulakha, Niaz Baig, Dholanwal, Mozang, Ghassi and Bagrian.
The additional land has increased the land acquisition cost for the project from PKR 13.17 billion to PKR 20 billion. The acquisition cost includes the price of additional land to be acquired over 1,165 kanals and a compensation package for the people affected in the Jain Mandir area and other central localities.
Another notification titled ‘Extra Ordinary Issue’ was published in the Punjab Gazette on January 22 and stated that any person who objects to the proposed acquisition of land should file their case with the Lahore Development Authority’s land acquisition collector within 30 days of the notification.
