Land to be acquired for shrine expansion

LAHORE:

An additional five kanal of land will be purchased for the renovation of the Data Ganj Bakhsh shrine commenced after approval from the Punjab government.

The project will cost over Rs6 billion.

Currently, construction is under way at the site with the expansion project set to provide better facilities to the devotees who visit the shrine, officials said.

The government had approved the expansion project extending from Bhati Chowk to the courtyard of the shrine.

Under the project a traffic track leading to the basement for visitors will be open, while regular traffic will be diverted from Bhati Chowk to other routes.

Additionally, five kanal of land on the eastern side, adjacent to the Soney Wala Darwaza will be acquired.

Following the approval of the PC-1, a new community kitchen will be constructed under the Auqaf department's expansion project, next to the northern minaret of the mosque.

The expansion will provide more space for female visitors and allow visitors to spend more time comfortably in the shrine's courtyard.

Provincial Auqaf Secretary Tahir Raza Bukhari said that in the second phase of the project, the courtyard will be extended up to Bhati Gate and the enclosure of the shrine will also be expanded towards the Bilal Ganj side.