Lahore PHA Doubles NOC Fee for Housing Societies

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The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Lahore has approved a significant increase in the no-objection certificate (NOC) fee for housing societies, doubling it from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 100,000 per kanal.

The decision was made during the PHA’s 27th Board of Directors (BoD) meeting, chaired by BoD Chairman Ghazali Saleem Butt. Alongside the fee revision, new environmental requirements have been introduced, making it mandatory for housing societies to plant at least two trees for every 10-marla plot and four trees for every one-kanal plot.

According to PHA officials, these measures aim to promote urban greenery and environmental sustainability in Lahore’s rapidly expanding residential areas.

In addition to the fee changes, the board approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department. Under this arrangement, PHA will be responsible for maintaining green spaces in hospitals, while hospitals will provide quality medical services to PHA employees at discounted rates.

The meeting also endorsed a new medical service providers’ registration policy, based on the Lahore Development Authority’s framework, to streamline healthcare partnerships.

In sports-related developments, the board decided to keep five grounds under the management of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to promote cricket activities. A proposal was also put forward to auction 16 other grounds currently under PHA control.

The authority approved several other initiatives, including:

• Procurement of a hydro seeder mulching machine to improve large-scale planting efficiency.
  
• A 10 percent increase in park booking rates for public and private events.
  
• The launch of the “Adopt-a-Park” corporate social responsibility (CSR) program encourages private companies to support park maintenance and beautification.
  

PHA officials stated that these changes are part of broader efforts to enhance green infrastructure, improve public amenities, and ensure better service delivery across Lahore. The increased NOC fee is expected to generate additional revenue for funding city beautification projects, while the tree plantation requirement aligns with Punjab’s environmental improvement goals.

The measures, once implemented, will impact both property developers and residents, making environmental compliance an integral part of housing project approvals in Lahore.