he City District Government of Lahore (CDGL) is likely to approve new parking laws, proposed by its subsidiary, Lahore Parking Company (LPC), for the first time after not a single person from the public at large neither attended the public hearing nor did raise any objection to the proposed laws.

The LPC had sent a proposal to the CDGL inJanuary, seeking approval of the by-laws related to imposition of fine on various parking violations in the city.

The fine for parking violations ranges from Rs200 to Rs5,000 and appears like a bid to generate revenue when one looks at the `exorbitant` fine schedule.

Under a scheduled programme, the CDGL`s public facility wing had sought for holding a public hearing on March 7 at 10am at Town Hall. Through advertisements in the print media on Feb2,the CDGLhadsought receipt of all objections and suggestions, etc. in this regard by March 5.

According to final draftof the by-laws, the LPC recommended imposition of Rs1,000 fine on those refusingtopay parkingfee atthe city`s parking lots. Other fines the people must be ready to pay in future include Rs200 on non-production of slip (fine) on demand, Rs1,000 on parking after expiry of parking period indicated on a signboard or otherwise, Rs2,000 on parking in no-parking area, Rs5,000 on parking in a way that obstructs the traffic flow, Rs1,000 on double parking, Rs5,000 on parking over a sidewalk, Rs2,000 on parking within an intersection at any time, Rs5,000 on parking on a crosswalk at any time,Rs5,000 on parking within three meters of fire hydrants and Rs5,000 on parking in front of a hospital. Similarly, there will be Rs1,000 fine on parking in front of entrance of ofHce building, Rs1,000 on parkinginfront ofentrance of a residential place without consent of the owner, Rs500 on violation of parking signs, Rs500 on parking in the areas not designated for that kind of vehicle, Rs5,000 and Rs1,000 on parking in a disorderly manner, Rs200 on parking beyond the bay markings, Rs1,000 on failure to obey lawful directions given by parking attendant and Rs3,000 in case of any damage to park-ing equipments.

Talking to Dawn, the LPC`s Managing Director Taseer Ahmad says since no one filed any sort of objection to the proposed by-laws, fines and suggestions and it was now mandatory for the government under the law to proceed further by approving these and issuing a gazette notincationin this regard.

To a question, he said the people, perhaps, showed disinterest in these laws or failed to understand the issue or they wanted to give a go-ahead to the government to implement the laws.

To another question, he said since no one challenged these proposed by-laws, theLahore`s DCO, also the vice chairman of the LPC, could change the fine schedule under the law.

Talking about handing over of the parking sites to the Advanced Global Communication Networks (AGCN), a foreign company automating the parking lots, Mr Ahmad said 40 lots had been handed over to the firm in this regard under phase-1 and 26 more would be handed over to it in coming days.

I he Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) will soon execute two mega projects-one in the Walled City and another inLarex Colony.

The project to be implemented in Walled City is the improvement of water supply system from Kashmiri Gate Park to Masti Gate in Wasa`s city sub-division.

The other is the replacement of outlived deeper and inadequate water supply lines from Ahmad Bakhsh Road to Ahmad Park to Larex colony within territorial jurisdiction of the Data Nagar sub-division.

According to an official of Wasa, the agency is completing the process related to tenders, selection of contractors and other legal formalities required to be adopted in this regard. khalidpak284@yahoo.com