Govt launches Shahdara heritage restoration

WCLA aims to preserve Mughal architecture on Ravi banks

LAHORE:

The Punjab government is working on a restoration project at the historic Shahdara Complex located on the banks of River Ravi on the outskirts of Lahore for preserving the grandeur of Mughal-era architecture.

According to Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) Director General.Najam Saqib, the Shahdara Complex had long remained overlooked due to encroachments in its surroundings and poor accessibility.

"This is a site of immense historical importance, but unfortunately its true identity faded over time," he said. "Our goal is to restore it to its original historical splendor."

He explained that the Shahdara Complex had been conceived as an integrated ensemble comprising the Tomb of Jahangir, Akbari Sarai and the tombs of Asif Khan and Nur Jahan.

However, the construction of a railway line later separated the Tomb of Nur Jahan from the rest of the complex.

Among the monuments, the Jahangir Complex constitutes the largest component.

Najam Saqib said the Mughal emperors had made Lahore their capital for nearly 14 years, resulting in the construction of several magnificent structures in and around the city. Akbari Sarai was the earliest to be built, serving as a lodging and trading centre for merchants traveling along the ancient Silk Route.

Providing details of the ongoing restoration phase, he said repair work was under way on 180 rooms of Akbari Sarai, along with the installation of a modern lighting system and transformers to facilitate night-time tourism. Walkways, lawns and pavilions at the tombs of Asif Khan and Jahangir are also being restored.

The official.said water seepage from the roof of Jahangir's Tomb had posed a threat to the structure, but the issue was being addressed.

The project is expected to be completed in three years.

Project Director Naeem Iqbal said restoration work was under way at all four monuments. "In the first phase, structural stability was ensured. We are now entering the phase of fresco restoration and aesthetic conservation," he said, adding that Rs50 million had been allocated for the first phase of the project.

Regarding the dome of the Tomb of Asif Khan, Iqbal said historical evidence suggests it was originally clad in white marble with red stone beneath. However, due to the absence of complete design documentation, international conservation principles do not allow for full reconstruction.

"Where evidence exists, restoration will be carried out, and where it does not, only protective conservation will be undertaken," he explained.

As the designs and beauty of the monuments re-emerge, tourist interest has also increased.

A visitor from Karachi, Ayesha, described the restoration work at Jahangir's Tomb as a positive development. "This is our national heritage. If we do not protect it ourselves, no one else will," she said.

Another visitor, Abdul Rehman, praised the improved cleanliness and management, emphasizing that the protection of historical sites is a collective responsibility.

Dr Kausar Butt, a history professor visiting from Quetta, said such heritage sites are of immense educational value.