New Housing Societies in Punjab No Longer Need NOCs

The Punjab government has announced a major shift in the approval process for private housing societies, opting to eliminate several No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and introduce a digital approval system. This decision follows extensive discussions with key stakeholders and aims to streamline the process for developers. Developers seeking to launch private housing societies in Punjab need numerous NOCs from the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and other authorities. However, even after meeting these requirements, developers often face significant delays in receiving the necessary technical approvals. A key meeting, chaired by the Senior Member of the Board of Revenue (SMBR), took place over four hours and included major developers and representatives from relevant authorities. During the discussions, it was agreed to simplify the approval process by removing NOCs from departments such as TEPA (Transport and Engineering Planning Agency) and the Environment Department. The decision aims to speed up approvals and address the increasing number of illegal housing schemes proliferating due to delays in the current approval process. The digital approval system is also expected to cut down on bureaucratic red tape and ensure faster decisions for developers. Additionally, the meeting underscored the importance of streamlining the process for launching housing societies in brownfield areas, to further encourage organized development and reduce the growth of unauthorized schemes in the region.