Plan for Clock Tower renovation approved

A spokesman of the DCO’s office said the area would be illuminated using new lighting

FAISALABAD:

The district administration approved on Monday a plan for renovation of Clock Tower Chowk in Faisalabad.

A spokesman of the DCO’s office said the buildings around Clock Tower Chowk would be renovated and painted anew. He said the area would be illuminated using new lighting.

He said shopkeepers in the area had been advised to remove old signboards and put up new ones approved by the district administration.

He said they had been urged to cooperate with the district administration for beautification of the Clock Tower Chowk.

“The district administration will take strict action against those creating hurdles,” he said. He said the Clock Tower, locally called Ghanta Ghar, was a historical building of Faisalabad.

“It is located in the heart of the city,” he said. He said over time, the building had fallen apart. He said the district government had decided to restore its grandeur and work on restoration had begun.

The spokesman said eight bazaars were connected to the tower.

He said construction of the clock tower had been completed in 1906 under the supervision of Gulab Khan.

He said the clocks were brought from Bombay.

He said the clock had been built in the memory of Queen Victoria who had died 80 years earlier. The spokesman said the bazaars were already operational when the clock was constructed.

He said Faisalabad’s layout had been inspired by the Union Jack. He said later, Sir Ganga Ram had improved on it.

He said at the time of its opening, fountains had been installed in front of four bazaars – Aminpur Bazaar, Kutchery Bazaar, Karkhana Bazaar and Jhang Bazaar –He said two of the fountains had disappeared.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2015.