The Lahore High Court (LHC) has declared the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project illegal based on several observations regarding the administrative authority’s structure, how land is being procured, compensation model for existing landowners, and clauses in the Ravi Urban Development Authority’s (RUDA) mandate. The project aims to establish a world-class city on the banks of River Ravi to tackle the challenges of population control, environmental pollution, provision of better municipal services, and attracting foreign investment in Pakistan. Several provisions of the Act which established RUDA as the administrative authority for the new megaproject have been declared unconstitutional and against the fundamental rights of citizens. Furthermore, the environmental impact assessment report has also been pointed out to be in nonconformity with the Punjab environment protection regulations. A major difference between Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) is that LDA has elected representatives in its high-level decision-making roles. In contrast, the RUDA is solely under the command of bureaucrats and other interested parties.
There are also rising concerns regarding how the authority is being accused of illegal agricultural land grab from current owners without paying proper compensation. Many people have filed their concerns based on the forced expulsion from their lands with the courts. However, the government remains adamant about the positive impact the development project will have on Lahore and how it will ease the pressure currently being faced by the city due to rapid urbanisation and growing population. If project details of the RUDA are contemplated carefully, it can be seen that the project has several positive developments which are going to revive the River Ravi and help establish a smart forest in the vicinity along with educational institutes for research and development in the agriculture sector. The establishment of a smart forest will also use cutting edge technology to develop new and innovative methods for tackling climate change. The project also envisions the development of water filtration plants for River Ravi, which is heavily contaminated by industrial waste being dumped into it daily on the outskirts of Lahore. By connecting River Ravi and River Chenab through canal links, there are also efforts planned to revive River Ravi and use it to replenish groundwater reserves.
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