LAHORE: The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) has declared more than 300 buildings in the historic inner areas of the city unsafe, according to a report submitted to the Lahore High Court (LHC).
The report was presented during the hearing of a petition opposing permission for Basant-related activities.
The WCLA told the court that it carried out a detailed survey of old and dangerous buildings ahead of the kite-flying season. During the survey, 346 rundown buildings were identified in the Walled City.
Out of these, 183 buildings were declared beyond repair, while 92 badly damaged buildings have already been vacated. However, the report said that 254 unsafe buildings are still occupied and could not be evacuated despite the risks. Among them, 103 buildings were declared beyond repair, while 151 were found repairable.
ALSO READ
Pakistan upgrades passport system with launch of ‘Shikra’ monitoring network
The authority further said that among the vacated buildings, 80 have been declared fit for demolition and 12 can be repaired.
The WCLA warned that the rooftops of these unsafe buildings are not suitable for Basant activities and pose a serious threat to public safety.
To reduce the risk, the authority has started placing warning notices and public awareness banners in the area.
