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Gujranwala : ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has directed authorities to accelerate work on Gujranwala’s master plan as part of efforts to manage the city’s growing population, expanding residential and commercial development, and rapidly urbanizing peripheral areas.
Under the initiative, the scope of town planning will not remain confined to the central city but will also be extended to Gujranwala’s outlying areas to ensure more organized urban growth.
On the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Housing Secretary Noor-ul-Amin Mengal has assigned key responsibilities to the newly appointed Director General of the Gujranwala Development Authority (GDA), Sajjad Ahmed, directing him to advance work on the city’s master plan effectively and at a faster pace.
The housing secretary specifically instructed the authority to expand town planning coverage to suburban and peripheral areas so that future urban growth can be aligned with projected requirements for housing, commercial activity, industry, transport and other civic facilities.
The need for a comprehensive master plan has become increasingly important because the Gujranwala Development Authority is responsible for a wide range of town planning functions, including the approval of private housing schemes and land subdivisions, regulation of land use, action against illegal housing schemes and preparation of broader urban development plans.
Under GDA regulations, approval for a private housing scheme may generally be granted only where the land is designated for residential or peri-urban use under the relevant master plan or another approved land-use plan.
Organized land-use planning has remained a longstanding challenge in Gujranwala. A previous special audit report by the Auditor General of Pakistan had pointed out that the absence of a clearly defined master plan and incomplete demarcation under the peri-urban structure plan created difficulties in determining actual land uses and the location of private housing schemes.
The report had also highlighted the need for clearer classification of residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and peri-urban land.
In recent years, the Punjab government has also prioritized the issue at the provincial level. In January 2025, the provincial government approved in principle the establishment of the Punjab Special Planning Authority as part of broader efforts to curb illegal housing schemes and introduce a stronger system for residential, commercial and agricultural zoning and district-level land-use planning.
According to the provincial policy framework, district land-use and zoning plans are also envisaged to undergo periodic reviews every four years.
Gujranwala is among the districts where land-use and zoning planning work had already been undertaken. Information reported in January 2025 indicated that land-use and zoning plans had been prepared for 32 districts of Punjab, with Gujranwala among the districts where the plan had also received approval.
These plans were designed to guide urban development over roughly the next two decades by defining residential, commercial and industrial zones and limiting the uncontrolled conversion of agricultural land into residential developments.
The issue also has direct implications for Gujranwala’s property market. GDA records include separate lists of approved private housing schemes, illegal housing projects and unapproved land subdivisions, underscoring the need to link future urban expansion with formal zoning and approval mechanisms.
Effective implementation of the new master plan could help determine where future residential development should take place, which areas may be designated for commercial and industrial activity, what land should remain protected for agricultural use, and where new housing schemes and infrastructure projects should be encouraged.
Against this backdrop, the directive to extend town planning to Gujranwala’s peripheral areas represents more than an exercise in updating the city’s development map. It is aimed at bringing future urban expansion, land use and real estate development under a more structured and coordinated planning framework.

Commissioner Gujranwala Division Syed Naveed Haider Shirazi has said that unapproved housing schemes and unregulated construction have severely disrupted urban planning and increased the risk of encroachments on government land. He directed all deputy commissioners in the division to ensure the immediate recovery of state land, regardless of the influence or identity of the individuals or groups involved.

List of illegal housing schemes prepared and action ordered

Additional Commissioner Coordination Muhammad Shafiq, Director General GDA Ghayas Apani, Deputy Director GDA and Wasa Engineer Khurram attended the meeting. Officials informed the commissioner that hundreds of housing schemes in Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Hafizabad and Mandi Bahauddin are either unapproved or in serious violation of rules and regulations.

The commissioner instructed authorities to
* establish special teams at the tehsil level
* conduct field operations against land grabbers
* warn citizens to avoid investing in unapproved housing schemes
* make the approval process more transparent and conduct public awareness campaigns

Emergency inspection of sanitation, street lights and main roads

Acting on these directives, Deputy Commissioner Gujranwala and Chairman GWMC Naveed Ahmed carried out early morning inspections in various parts of the city. He reviewed sanitation, green belts, street lights and encroachments along Kashmir Road, Peoples Colony, GT Road and electric bus routes.

He directed officials to
* ensure timely removal of waste
* repair all non functional street lights without delay
* take action against encroachments without discrimination
* speed up the installation of new monuments and the restoration of green belts in major squares

Upgrading the electric bus service and passenger facilities

The deputy commissioner inspected the electric bus service and spoke to passengers about service quality and complaints. He said new and modern waiting areas were being developed at various points to improve passenger convenience.

Detailed inspection of Gujranwala Teaching Hospital

He later visited Gujranwala Teaching Hospital and inspected the emergency ward, out patient departments, dengue ward, gynaecology out patient department, pharmacy and token counter. The deputy commissioner reviewed overall cleanliness, staff attendance, availability of medicines and the facilities being provided to patients. He directed the Medical Superintendent, Dr Atiq Ahmed, to improve service delivery, reduce unnecessary crowding and ensure timely treatment for all patients.

Report by SyedShayan.com Real Estate Portal