LAHORE: In a major development to protect the people from fraud, the plot files system for all housing schemes existing in the territorial jurisdiction of the Ravi project area in Lahore has been abolished.

As per the decision, the developers of nearly 120 housing societies have been asked to shift to the new system by Nov 30, Dawn has learnt.

`Under the new system, the developers while getting approval from Ravi Urban Development Authority regarding housing scheme would have to declare exact number of residential, commercial and public utility plots through submittingthe layout plan of their projects.

Upon approval, the Ruda authorities would give security feature papers to the developers as per number of plots planned to be sold. After this, the developers would remain unable to issue plot files and will get the on-ground plots transferred in the name of genuinebuyersthroughtheproperty/land transfer system of the Ruda,` an official source told Dawn on Saturday.

`This will help save the people from fraudulent activities as carried out usually by the developers in Lahore and other major cities across the country,` the official, who wished not to be quoted, added.

According to him, the new model introduced following ongoing reforms by the Punjab government will wipe out the file system completely, as a strong enforcement set-up to keep tracking plot sale record of the housing schemes is also being developed simultaneously.

To a question, the official said the initiative is the first of its kind in the country, as, even,leading developers are simply following the property transfer system on their own at their offices by issuing allotment/ transfer letters. The security feature papers would only be used forthe plot/propertytransferand they will have all information related to buyers and sellers names, addresses, contact/ address, plot number, nature of property (residential/commercial) etc. These papers would be given to only those societies approved by Ruda.

`The initiative would essentially mean end of any file system in Ravi project area and only plots available on ground would be available to be sold for general public. The plan has also been appreciated by the National Accountability Bureau where inquiries againstvarioushousing schemes are underway,` the official said, adding that NAB also held multiple meetings with development authorities in Punjab including Ruda and LDA in a bid to combat irregularities by private developers.

It may be mentioned here thata number of people in Punjab have been deprived of their plots due to [plot] files frauds despite the fact they paid all installments to the developers. Besides this a huge number of people are still paying monthly installments to the developers with the hope to get plots not existing in the schemes` layout plans.

In various schemes, the developers allegedly sold plots even 4/5 times more than the plots available on-ground in their schemes. In Lahore`s hundreds of housing schemes (both approved and unapproved), over-selling of plots has become a common practice. In recent days, various people in an open court also lodged complaints against developers on such issues.

`It is the time to also introduce this model in several private housing schemes being approved by the LDA and other development authorities and respective town municipal administrations, councils etc,` the official recommended, adding that it would surely save the people from fraudulent activities.