Lahore: The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Monday (January 31) permitted the Punjab government to continue development work on the already acquired land of the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project, news sources reported. In its ruling, the Supreme Court has authorised Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) to work only on land that had previously been purchased and for which the owners had been compensated.
The ruling follows the RUDA and Punjab government’s appeal before the Supreme Court against the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) order to freeze all development works on the multibillion-dollar project. In a comprehensive decision, the Supreme Court mandated that the Punjab government and RUDA continue their work on the already purchased land and produce reports and papers regarding the project’s legality within one month. The SC judgement follows the LHC ruling issued on January 25th, which found some elements of the RUDA master plan unconstitutional and ordered a halt to construction activities.
It is vital to remember that when completed, RUDA would be the country’s second planned metropolis after Islamabad. The project has been hailed as a game-changer and a new norm in urban life by the provincial and federal governments. According to the estimates, the project would earn USD 20 billion, of which USD 1.5 billion has already been invested. RUDA has just launched pre-registration for its ‘Chahar Bagh’ project, details of which may be seen on the project’s website.
Nauman Ahmad is an imaginative Pisces whose love for literature and nature is unparalleled. When he's not reading or hiking, he's sleeping and eating, which gives him plenty of energy for his next adventure.
