Faulty design: Construction errors mar Bab-e-Lahore

The city of Lahore has always been famous for its historical grandeur. Apart from several notable structures, the city has long been known for its 12 gates that were constructed during the Mughal era.

In a bid to ‘beautify’ the city, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led government decided to build a 13th decorative gate called Bab-e-Lahore in the city. The 60-foot tall and 130-foot wide gate is being built at Thokar Niaz Baig, one of the busiest entry points of the city.

According to the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), the gate will welcome commuters entering the city from the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway and Multan Road. It will also serve as the ‘eighth wonder’ of Lahore. But instead of adding to the aesthetics of Lahore, the gate has become a symbol of ugliness and a laughingstock even before its completion.

Per sources, the gate has been marred with construction errors as the balance and symmetry of its lanes has been overlooked. Due to a lack of space, five lanes have been constructed, three for incoming traffic and two for outgoing traffic.

The LDA is constructing the gate at a cost Rs250 million, making it the PTI-led government’s first major project in Lahore. When the matter related to the asymmetrical lanes was brought to the notice of the LDA, it shifted the design responsibility of the project to the Infrastructure Development Authority of Punjab (IDAP).

Speaking to The Express Tribune, an official of the LDA, who requested anonymity, said the Bab-e-Lahore will be the largest entry and exit route into the city and thousands of people will pass through the gate daily.

“What will the VIPs and tourists coming to Lahore think of this aesthetically unappealing gate? The asymmetrical lanes can lead to congestion. To top it all off, the construction of the gate is 80 per cent complete,” the officer said.

He pointed out that unlike Bab-e- Lahore, other projects in the city like Wapda House constructed during Ayub Khan’s era and the Islamic Summit Minar in front of the Punjab Assembly built during the Bhutto era added to the beauty of the city.

“There are many design blunders found in the Peshawar Metro Bus project too. During the construction of the metro bus route, a platform for vehicles was made on the wrong side. Similarly, the width of an underpass was so narrow that a bus could not pass through it. The PTI-led government should take notice of these mistakes as they ruin the infrastructure and beauty of the cities,” he said.

LDA’s Chief Engineer Habibul Haq Randhawa said the Bab-e-Lahore project was designed by the Infrastructure Development Authority and formal approval was obtained from the authorities concerned before initiation of the construction work.

“The project is now in the final stages of completion. Once constructed, a balance will be maintained in the symmetry of the lanes and the public will not be able to notice a difference,” Randhawa said.

“Due to high incoming traffic to Lahore, three lanes have been set aside for inbound traffic and two lanes for outbound traffic.”

He added that there was a petrol pump near the gate so there was not a lot of space available to construct six lanes instead of five.

“We could not extend the width of the road. Once the construction is completed, the gate will add to the aesthetics of Lahore and there will be no imbalance in its symmetry,” Randhawa assured.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2020.