Ravi River Project Latest Updates

Ravi River Project declares illegal by the Lahore High Court on Tuesday, 25th January 2022. On announcing the verdict on the petitions against this project, LHC has also passed orders to halt its construction immediately.

This announcement has come against the petitions filed by advocates Sheraz Zaka, Ahmad Rafay Alam and others on behalf of the farmers. These petitions have challenged the mode and manner of the land acquisition proceedings undertaken by the Ravi Urban Development Authority for RRUDP. Further details are:

Ravi River Project and Lahore High Court

LHC has declared the Ravi River Urban Development Project illegal. Also, directed the authority to return money acquired from govt in two months. The court also stated Section 4 of the Ravi Urban Development Authority (amendment) Ordinance 2021 was unlawful and unconstitutional. Court remarks the acquired land for RRUDP through violation of Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

The court remarked: “Agricultural land can be acquired only when there is a proper legal framework for it, but the land for RRUDP was acquired through a violation of Land Acquisition Act, 1894.”

The mentioned section contradicts Article 144 of the Constitution of Pakistan, it said.

“Lahore and Sheikhupura failed to abide by the law in the land acquisition,” the court added.

While announcing the verdict, LHC said that since RRUDP’s master plan is the essential document, all the schemes should be under the master plan as per the law. “Hence, any scheme worked upon without [being included in] the master plan is illegal.”

Given the observation that Ravi Urban Development Authority’s has failed to fulfil the constitutional requirements directing them to return the money, it had acquired from the government within two months.

What is the Case?

In the petitions submitted to the High Court, the petitioners questioned the legality of forceful land acquisitions for commercial purposes under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894. In addition, some of the petitioners have questioned the legitimacy of the Environment Impact Assessment of this project. They find it prepared by an unregistered consultant.

The petitioners’ raises questions that if this project lacked environmental impact assessment, how could it benefit public purpose. Furthermore, they argued that the Ravi River project would divest the farmers of their precious land. Such deprivation violated their fundamental rights.

On this, the Lahore High Court had stayed the land acquisition process by clearing that the legal requirements were not fulfilled accurately.

However, the Punjab government believed that Ravi Urban Authority (amendment) Ordinance 2021 was passed to cover legal delicacies. Therefore, the stay orders granted by the court and the petitions against the project stood pointless.

PM Imran had laid the foundation stone of RRUDP last year September. This project features the construction of a 46-kilometre-long lake from Ravi Siphon to Hudiara, laying a complex network of roads. And also, the construction of 12 new high-tech cities comes under this project. 

Stay in touch with Universal Property Network for the latest updates of Ravi River Project. Also, you can contact us for the safe and profitable purchase and sale of properties across Pakistan.

Please contact Universal Property Network For More Information click here or visit our youtube channel further assistance