URBANIZATION OF ARABLE LAND IN LAHORE CITY IN PAKISTAN; A CASE-STUDY

This paper is intended to explore the extent of converting arable land for urban use andthe pace of construction activities on the residential housing schemes. In most of the schemesmore than half of the plots are inbuilt because by-laws are very flexible and owners of vacantplots have no fear of cancellation and they consider this investment a better safeguard againstinflation. Moreover, speculators invested their money in the plots because no cost / taxes areinvolved in the keeping of vacant plots. By implementing strict by-laws and imposing capitalgains tax on vacant land and converting the collected taxes from the schemes to create revolvingfunds for house building for really needy, low-middle income groups, the extent of conversionarable land into housing schemes can be reducedKeywords speculators, pace, conversion, vacant plots, density, land policy.