# Ravi City (RUDA) review: the court case, Chahar Bagh and which schemes are approved

URL: https://which.pk/property/lahore/ravi-city-ruda/
Author: Ahtisham
Updated: 25 Oct 2026

## Summary

Ravi City is the Punjab government's riverfront city along the Ravi, run by RUDA under the RUDA Act 2020. The Lahore High Court struck down parts of the Act in January 2022; the Supreme Court suspended that ruling on 31 January 2022 but limited RUDA to land already acquired and paid for, and we found no final judgment. RUDA's own Chahar Bagh had no announced possession by October 2026. Of the private schemes inside it, 8 have RUDA final sanction and 44 are on RUDA's illegal list.

Ravi City is legal on paper but still under a court limit. It is the Punjab government's riverfront city, run by the **Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA)** under the RUDA Act 2020. The Supreme Court has allowed RUDA to work only on land already acquired and paid for since **31 January 2022**, and we found no final ruling. RUDA's own Chahar Bagh had **no announced possession** by October 2026.

Ravi City is not one housing society. It is RUDA's whole area along the river, with RUDA's own projects (Chahar Bagh and its blocks) and private schemes that need RUDA's approval. This review scores RUDA's own offer and explains how to check a private scheme inside it.

## Is Ravi City legal? The RUDA Act and the court case

RUDA was created by the **Ravi Urban Development Authority Act 2020** (Act XVII of 2020). The Punjab Assembly passed it on 22 July 2020, and it was published in the Punjab Gazette on 11 August 2020. The Act lets the government notify RUDA's area, makes every scheme in it come to RUDA for approval, and says RUDA's master plan is independent of other authorities'.

The court history, from the reports we could check:

| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 25 Jan 2022 | The Lahore High Court, ruling on 18 petitions, declared several provisions of the RUDA Act unconstitutional. It held that RUDA's loan from the Punjab government broke the Local Authorities Loans Act 1914 and that farmland couldn't be acquired this way. |
| 31 Jan 2022 | A two-judge Supreme Court bench suspended that order. It barred RUDA from working beyond land already acquired, possessed and paid for, and said the legal questions needed a "deeper probe". |
| Oct 2024 | The News reported the Supreme Court case still unresolved, with a petitioner's requests for an early hearing unanswered. |

We found no Supreme Court judgment after that, as of October 2026. So RUDA works under an interim order, and the legal questions remain open.

Land is the other dispute. In October 2024, RUDA told The News it had acquired about **13%** of its planned area (12,000 to 15,000 acres), about 2,000 acres of it under the Land Acquisition Act from roughly 470 farmers, and that it now buys only from willing sellers. A landowner won a Lahore High Court order in 2023 to farm his land but told The News he still had no access.

**What the court limit means for you:** If you buy from RUDA, ask in writing whether your plot's land was acquired and paid for before the Supreme Court's January 2022 order. We found nothing on RUDA's website that answers this block by block.

## How big is Ravi City, and what is in the master plan?

Sources give different sizes. Dawn reported in September 2025 that RUDA covers a **46 km stretch** of the Ravi and 132,000 acres; The News said about 110,000 acres in 2024, and Profit 102,074 acres in 2022. We use Dawn's figure as the most recent.

RUDA's chief executive said in January 2023 that its master plan is separate from LDA's Master Plan 2050, and includes three barrages and lakes to raise the river's water level. RUDA had said in March 2022 that schemes on the riverbed or floodplain would be moved, and that schemes with 500 or more houses in Phase-1's "Purple Zone" would be regularised.

In September 2025, after floods along the Ravi in late August, Dawn reported that RUDA approves schemes under its own Private Housing Scheme Rules 2021 without an irrigation department NOC. LDA's rules don't allow approval of flood-prone land. RUDA told Dawn it had finished river training works over 7 km from Ravi Syphon and that developers must build flood embankments before final approval.

## What does RUDA sell in Ravi City?

RUDA's own projects are all under the **Chahar Bagh** name, next to the Lahore Ring Road. RUDA calls Chahar Bagh its "maiden venture". These were the offers on RUDA's website on 25 October 2026:

| Project | What it is | Terms on RUDA's site (25 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Chahar Bagh | The first phase; 10 marla and 1 kanal plots balloted on 31 Mar 2022 | Launch price in 2022: 10 marla Rs 1.2 crore, 1 kanal Rs 2 crore |
| Chahar Bagh Enclave | 185 acres, over 1,700 plots from 3 marla to 1 kanal | Two ballots held; no current price on the page |
| Chahar Bagh Reva | 5 marla, 10 marla and 1 kanal plots | Rs 80 lakh, Rs 1.6 crore and Rs 3 crore, plus development charges and taxes; 15% down, 12 quarterly instalments |
| Chahar Bagh West End | Built 2-bedroom units of about 1,100 sq ft | Rs 1.25 crore to Rs 1.45 crore by floor; 15% booking, 12 quarterly instalments, 20% on possession |
| Chahar Bagh Farms | 4 and 8 kanal farmhouse plots near the Shahdara Interchange (Lahore-Sialkot Motorway) | Rs 75,000 application fee; booking from Rs 25 lakh; 8 quarterly instalments |
| Dara Chahar Bagh | A 50-acre joint venture | RUDA says only file or plot numbers on its security paper are valid |

Reva's prices **exclude development charges**, so the full cost is higher than the table shows. RUDA says West End homes will be built in 2 years. For more on instalment terms across Lahore, see [plots on installment in Lahore](/property/guides/plots-on-installment-lahore/).

## Has Chahar Bagh been given possession?

Not that we could find. Possession means handing over a developed plot you can build on. The first ballot was on 31 March 2022, and we found no RUDA notice or news report of possession as of October 2026.

RUDA's notifications page shows work still being bought for Phase-I: bid evaluations for **electrical works**, smart services, the entry gate and a signature tower. It also lists several **"cancelled plots"** lists for Chahar Bagh 1 and Chahar Bagh Enclave, so check that a plot you buy is not on one.

## Which private schemes in Ravi City are approved?

A private scheme inside Ravi City needs RUDA's approval, not LDA's. RUDA publishes four lists. On 25 October 2026 they held:

| RUDA list | Schemes | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Final sanction | 8 | New Metro City Ravi (589 kanal), Al-Rehman Garden Phase-II (Revision), New City Paradise Phase-II (Prime Block), Kingdom Valley Phase-01 (104 kanal) |
| Technical approval or provisional acceptance | 11 | Pyramid Housing Scheme, Tauheed City LSD; River Edge ([Park View City](/property/lahore/park-view-city-lahore/)) has only "Provisional Acceptance" |
| Provisional planning permission (PPP) | 14 | Kingdom Valley Phase-1 (5,808 kanal), seven Emerald Bay phases, New City Paradise Phase-1, Region City, Royal Swiss |
| Illegal | 44 | Mostly in Chung and Mohlanwal off Multan Road, Taij Garh Road and Ferozwala |

RUDA's PPP list says "soft launching is allowed" for most of these schemes, so they can take bookings while still far from final sanction. A large scheme can have a small finally sanctioned part: New Metro City Ravi's 4,840 kanals have final approval for **589.14 kanals**.

Read the scheme's name, mouza and area on RUDA's lists, not the developer's brochure. Our [society approval check](/property/tools/society-approval-check/) covers LDA, RDA and CDA lists; it doesn't search RUDA's yet.

## What do Chahar Bagh plots cost now?

Zameen's index is an average of asking prices, not sale prices. It has a 10 marla series for Chahar Bagh, but none for 5 marla.

The 10 marla average was **Rs 1.86 crore** in July 2024, fell to Rs 1.35 crore by August 2025, and rose to **Rs 1.64 crore** in August 2026. That is above RUDA's 2022 launch price of Rs 1.2 crore and close to its current Reva price of Rs 1.6 crore before development charges.

The series was flat for long stretches (June 2025 to April 2026 at Rs 1.35 crore), which suggests few listings. The 1 kanal series sat at Rs 2.2 crore from February 2025 to April 2026, with no later figure.

## Gas, electricity and water

We can't score this. RUDA has tendered electrical works for Chahar Bagh Phase-I, and says West End homes come with rooftop solar. We found no dated source that gas, electricity or water is supplied to plots. Ask RUDA in writing before you pay.

## Who is behind it?

RUDA, a Government of Punjab authority. In October 2026 the Punjab cabinet approved a **Rs 15 billion** loan for RUDA for 2026-27 and restored a cancelled loan facility of over Rs 2.75 billion for Ravi flood-protection works, ProPakistani reported.

Its record is contested. Land acquisition is still before the Supreme Court, Human Rights Watch reported in April 2023 that more than 100 farmers had been criminally charged since 2020, and Dawn reported criticism in 2025 that RUDA approved schemes before building river works.

## How easy is it to resell?

Not easy, on the evidence. Zameen listed only **24 plots** for sale in Chahar Bagh on 25 October 2026, 17 of them residential, and has no 5 marla price index for it. Withholding tax on a sale depends on your [filer status](/business/guides/filer-vs-non-filer/), and our guide to [property transfer in Punjab](/property/guides/property-transfer-punjab/) covers the paperwork.

## Where is Ravi City?

Ravi City runs along the Ravi through Lahore and Sheikhupura districts. Chahar Bagh is at the Shareef Pura/Bhaini interchange of the [Lahore Ring Road](/property/guides/lahore-ring-road/), in Tehsil Shalimar. Measured on OpenStreetMap, it is about **10 km** in a straight line from Allama Iqbal Airport and 12 km from the GPO on Mall Road.

Private schemes on RUDA's lists reach well beyond Chahar Bagh: Park View City's River Edge is on Multan Road, and many others are in Ferozwala, Sheikhupura. Schemes along the Ravi in Lahore flooded in late August 2025, Dawn reported.

More guides: [LDA approved societies list](/property/guides/lda-approved-societies-list/), [new housing schemes in Lahore](/property/guides/new-housing-schemes-lahore/), [Lahore society reviews](/property/lahore/) and [how we score societies](/methodology/).

## Ravi City (RUDA): facts and scorecard

- Approval: RUDA approved
- 5 marla plot: Not enough evidence yet
- Possession: Unclear
- Our score: 4.6/10

- Legal status: 6/10 (Statutory authority under the RUDA Act 2020, but the Supreme Court's 2022 interim order still limits it to land acquired and paid for, with no final ruling found.)
- Possession & development: Not enough evidence yet (No possession notice found for Chahar Bagh, four years after its 2022 ballot; Phase-I electrical works and entry gate were still being tendered.)
- Price & appreciation: 5/10 (Zameen's 10 marla Chahar Bagh average fell from Rs 1.86 crore (Jul 2024) to Rs 1.35 crore (Aug 2025), then rose to Rs 1.64 crore (Aug 2026), above the Rs 1.2 crore 2022 launch price.)
- Utilities: Not enough evidence yet (No dated source that gas, electricity or water is supplied; only electrical works tendered for Chahar Bagh Phase-I.)
- Developer track record: 4/10 (A government authority with a Rs 15bn loan (Oct 2026), but its land acquisition is contested in court, and Dawn (Sep 2025) reports criticism that it approved schemes before building river works.)
- Location: 6/10 (Chahar Bagh is beside the Ring Road, about 10 km from the airport and 12 km from the GPO in a straight line; Ravi-side schemes flooded in Aug 2025.)
- Resale liquidity: 2/10 (Only 24 Chahar Bagh plots listed on Zameen on 25 Oct 2026, and Zameen has no 5 marla price index for it.)

**Suits:** Buyers who want a government seller, can wait years for development, and buy directly from RUDA on its own instalment plan.

**Avoid if:** You need possession or a quick resale, or the plot is in a private scheme inside Ravi City that lacks RUDA final sanction.

**Main risks:** The Supreme Court case on the RUDA Act and land acquisition was still unresolved as of Oct 2024, and we found no ruling since. No possession has been announced in Chahar Bagh; RUDA cancels plots and lists them publicly. Parts of the area are on the Ravi floodplain; schemes along the river flooded in August 2025. Most private schemes inside Ravi City have only provisional or technical approval, and 44 are on RUDA's illegal list.

## Questions people ask

### Is Ravi City legal?

RUDA was created by the Ravi Urban Development Authority Act 2020. The Lahore High Court struck down parts of it on 25 January 2022, but the Supreme Court suspended that ruling on 31 January 2022 and limited RUDA to land already acquired, possessed and paid for. We found no final judgment as of October 2026.

### Where is Ravi City Lahore?

Along a 46 km stretch of the Ravi in Lahore and Sheikhupura districts, Dawn reported in 2025. RUDA's own Chahar Bagh is beside the Lahore Ring Road at the Shareef Pura/Bhaini interchange, about 10 km in a straight line from Allama Iqbal Airport.

### What is the Ravi City payment plan?

RUDA's Chahar Bagh Reva asks 15% down and 12 quarterly instalments: 5 marla Rs 80 lakh, 10 marla Rs 1.6 crore and 1 kanal Rs 3 crore, plus development charges and taxes (RUDA website, October 2026).

### Is a private society in Ravi City approved?

Only if RUDA lists it. On 25 October 2026 RUDA listed 8 schemes with final sanction, 11 with technical approval or provisional acceptance, 14 with provisional planning permission and 44 as illegal. Check the scheme's name and mouza on all four lists.

### Has Chahar Bagh been given possession?

We found no RUDA notice or news report of possession as of October 2026. RUDA was still evaluating bids for electrical works and the entry gate at Chahar Bagh Phase-I.

## Sources

- [The Ravi Urban Development Authority Act 2020 (Act XVII of 2020), text](https://khalidzafar.com/wp-content/files_mf/1608553471RaviUrbanDevelopmentAuthorityAct2020.html), Khalid Zafar & Associates (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Housing schemes: final sanction granted](https://ruda.gov.pk/housing-schemes/final-sanction-granted), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Housing schemes: technical approval granted](https://ruda.gov.pk/housing-schemes/technical-approval), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Housing schemes: provisional planning permission granted](https://ruda.gov.pk/housing-schemes/provisional-planning-permission), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [List of illegal housing schemes falling in RUDA](https://ruda.gov.pk/housing-schemes/list-of-illegal-housing-schemes), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Chahar Bagh](https://ruda.gov.pk/chaharbagh), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Chahar Bagh Enclave](https://ruda.gov.pk/chaharbagh-enclave), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Chahar Bagh Reva](https://ruda.gov.pk/chahar-bagh-reva), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Chahar Bagh West End](https://ruda.gov.pk/chaharbagh-westend), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Chahar Bagh Farms](https://ruda.gov.pk/ChaharBagh-Farms), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Dara Chahar Bagh](https://ruda.gov.pk/dara_chaharbagh), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Notifications](https://ruda.gov.pk/notifications), RUDA (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [SC suspends LHC order against Ravi project](https://www.dawn.com/news/1672556), Dawn (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- ['Flood-prone' housing schemes along Ravi rife with irregularities](https://www.dawn.com/news/1938766), Dawn (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Ravi Riverfront City: three years, two governments later, farmers still struggle to save their land](https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1243360-ravi-riverfront-city-three-years-two-governments-later-farmers-in-punjab-still-struggle-to-save-their-land), The News (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [What in the world is RUDA doing?](https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2022/09/25/what-in-the-world-is-ruda-doing/), Profit by Pakistan Today (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Ravi Urban Development Authority to get Rs 15 billion from Punjab govt](https://propakistani.pk/?p=1091060), ProPakistani (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [RUDA announces booking of plots in Chahar Bagh](https://www.zameen.com/news/ruda-booking-plots-chahar-bagh.html), Zameen News (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [RUDA's Chahar Bagh ballot tomorrow](https://www.zameen.com/news/rudas-chahar-bagh-ballot-tomorrow.html), Zameen News (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [RUDA to regularise certain housing schemes](https://www.zameen.com/news/ruda-regularise-housing-schemes.html), Zameen News (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [RUDA has its own master plan](https://www.zameen.com/news/ruda-independent-master-plan.html), Zameen News (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Residential plot price index, Chahar Bagh, 10 marla](https://www.zameen.com/index/buy/residential_plots/lahore/chahar-bagh-20520/10-marla/), Zameen.com (accessed 25 Oct 2026)
- [Plots for sale in Chahar Bagh, Lahore](https://www.zameen.com/Plots/Lahore_Chahar_Bagh-20520-1.html), Zameen.com (accessed 25 Oct 2026)