Lahore: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has initiated a revision of the Lahore Division Master Plan-2050 to reflect recent urban expansion and updated population data, with the final draft expected by the end of May.
According to officials, the revised plan is likely to be enforced from the start of the next fiscal year 2026-27, beginning July 1, subject to approval by the LDA’s governing body.
LDA Chief Metropolitan Planner Muhammad Faisal Qureshi said the consultants who originally prepared the plan in 2022 are currently reviewing it in line with court directives. The revision incorporates developments that have taken place over the past five to six years.
He said the updated draft is being prepared on the basis of the 2023 census, replacing earlier projections based on the 2017 census. Newly developed built-up areas across Lahore and adjoining districts are expected to be included, particularly within residential and mixed-use zones.
The revised plan will also integrate new developments under major initiatives such as the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA), including areas falling within the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project.
Officials said that once the draft is submitted, the LDA will review it and conduct a public hearing on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) through the environment department. The plan is then expected to be presented for approval in a governing body meeting scheduled for late June.
The LDA is currently operating under the amended Lahore Division Master Plan-2016 for approvals related to housing schemes and land subdivisions.
The Master Plan-2050 was initially finalised in 2022 and approved by the then provincial government, but its enforcement was suspended by the Lahore High Court in January 2023 following legal challenges. Petitioners had raised concerns over alleged irregularities in its approval process and its potential environmental impact.
Subsequently, the LDA was directed to review the plan. Although the authority had decided to seek input from the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Urban Unit of the Punjab Planning and Development Department, the review process did not proceed at the time.
Earlier this year, the LDA’s governing body approved the continuation of the plan’s revision process, including negotiations with consultants over an estimated PKR 320 million cost.
The Master Plan-2050 outlines Lahore’s long-term urban growth strategy, including the development of a new city centre in Gulberg and expansion of urban limits to accommodate population growth. It also includes planning frameworks for major urban settlements in Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib and Kasur, and aligns with policies of entities such as the Walled City of Lahore Authority, the Punjab Central Business District Development Authority and RUDA.
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