PHOTOS: FILE
The authority had approved Rs50 million for the conservation of Lahore Fort projects in June 2019, during the current fiscal year, of which it has utilised Rs25 million so far on these fort projects.
The projects at Lahore Fort included the conservation of Barood Khana (ordnance depot), conservation of western façade of the Picture Wall, conservation of Royal Kitchens, restoration of Deewan-e-Aam, conservation of Musaman Gate, conservation of Shah Jahan’s Quadrangle, conservation of Alamgiri Gate and Temple of Loh and conservation of Shah Burj Gate.
The authority has aimed to undertaken conservation of Moti Masjid, conservation of Shahi Hammam in quarter area, conservation of Deewan-e-Aam basement, conservation of Dewan-e-Aam, Doulat Khana Khas-o-Aam, Kharak Singh Haveli, Akbari Gate, conservation of Makatib Khana and the northern side of the picture wall during 2020.
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The projects to be started in the walled city Lahore in 2020, including project of rehabilitation of Sonehri Masjid, Chowk Kotwali via Dabbi Bazaar and the project cost would be Rs443.46 million, conservation and restoration of Mariam Zamani Masjid with a cost of Rs120 million and urban rehabilitation project of Bhatti Gate to Katri Allahabad with a cost of Rs500 million.
Similarly, the WCLA would be working on the conservation projects in other cities of Pakistan which include Zohb Baluchistan, Okara, Jehlum, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Muzafarabad.
The tourism activities started in 2019 included the guided tours of Taxali and Bhati Gates, Yatra Tour of Sikh Heritage Sites, Dastan-e-Ameer Khusro and Meet the Expert while a National Heritage and Tourism Workshop was also organised by WCLA.
Almost 10,000 tourists joined the History By Night Tour in 2019 which is held on every Saturday and 35,000 tourists visited the Royal Trail which is a free guided tour by WCLA.
WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said, “The authority has taken up projects in the Lahore Fort and much-neglected areas have been given a new life after conservation and Barood Khana and Royal Kitchens in among them.”
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“We are starting the Chowk Kotwali and Bhatti Gate projects soon inside the walled city of Lahore. We aim to restore the Bhatti Gate trail on the same lines of Royal Trail and all hanging wires will be taken underground and new water and sanitation systems will be laid down,” he remarked.
On the tourism side, WCLA started tours of different gates of Walled City like Taxali and Bhatti and also the landmark project was the launching of Religious Tourism. Yatra, a tour to Sikh Heritage Sites in walled city Lahore was introduced in 2019 and I am glad that the tourist influx in the city has increased.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2019.
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