LAHORE: The Punjab government is gearing up to begin construction of 37,000 affordable housing units in the coming months under a major World Bank-funded initiative. Officials say preparatory work has accelerated and site identification has been completed across the province.
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The Punjab Affordable Housing Programme (PAHP), valued at US$250 million over five years, aims to strengthen housing institutions and expand access to affordable units for low- and middle-income households. According to an internal report submitted to the provincial government, 20,000 units will be constructed on state land through World Bank financing, while the remaining stock will be delivered through private sector participation.
Implementation is being led by the Urban Unit and the Punjab Housing & Town Planning Agency through a dedicated Programme Management & Implementation Unit. To ensure execution readiness, 41 government-owned sites have been identified with support from land revenue authorities, and field verification has been completed.
The report notes that district administrations have been briefed under World Bank protocols to enable phased rollout. Officials said the blended model is intended to ensure financial sustainability, institutional reforms and scalable delivery.
Separately, the government has approved the construction of 1,000 groundwater recharge wells across Punjab this year to counter falling water tables. Water and Sanitation Agencies will execute the initiative, which began as a pilot in Lahore where three wells are operational and work at more than 15 additional locations is in progress.
The report also highlights efforts to redesign elevated greenbelts, which authorities say contribute to urban flooding by restricting rainwater drainage. Parks and Horticulture Authorities have been tasked with lowering greenbelts to international standards to improve stormwater management without disrupting existing infrastructure.
Work on the “Lungs of Lahore & Ring Road Forestation Project” has also been accelerated to create a forested environmental buffer around the city aimed at reducing smog and curbing unchecked sprawl. The model is planned for replication in other districts.
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The document adds that the Apni Chhat Apna Ghar housing initiative completed more than 50,000 low-income homes in 2025 through zero-interest financing, while the Apni Zameen Apna Ghar scheme has entered implementation after digital balloting of 2,000 free plots for landless families across 19 districts.