Saving Lahore's Architectural Heritage.

[Leader]

Down the muddy monsoon-soaked path and through the towering red brick Delhi Gate of Lahore’s fabled walled city, there is an ambitious project to turn back decades of neglect and unchecked commercialization and save the city’s remaining treasures.

The area is abuzz with labourers digging up the roads. Already, workers for the conservation project have demolished a cloth market and a line of shops that was built against a 17th-century mosque, damaging its facade and structure.


Saving Lahore

Just make a walking path or a food street around the wall and free it from qabza groups and all the other shops...

 

[Edevelop]

 

[Edevelop]

 

[Edevelop]

 

[Edevelop]

Reviving heritage: Taxali and Shah Alam Gates to be rebuilt

LAHORE:

The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) has proposed the reconstruction of Taxali Gate and Shah Alam Gate.

The cost of the project is estimated at Rs156 million. It is expected to be completed in one year. Funds for the project will be raised through public-private partnership and sponsors.

The Walled City had 13 gates; Akbari Gate, Bhati Gate, Delhi Gate, Kashmiri Gate, Lohari Gate, Masti Gate, Mochi Gate, Mori Gate, Roshnai Gate, Shah Alam Gate, Shairanwala Gate, Taxali Gate, and Yakki Gate. All of these gates survived until the 19th century. In 1857, the British demolished almost all of the gates except Roshnai Gate after the Siege of Delhi. Some were rebuilt in simple structures, except for Delhi Gate and Lohari Gate.

Shah Alam Gate burnt to ground during the riots of 1947 while Akbari Gate was demolished for repairs but never built again.

Today, out of 13, only Bhati Gate, Delhi Gate, Kashmiri Gate, Lohari Gate, Roshnai Gate, Mochi Gate and Shairanwala Gate survive.

WCLA heritage expert Talib Hussain says, “Shah Alam Gate was named after the son and Aurangzeb’s successor, Muazzam Shah Alam Bahadur Shah.

This gate was formerly called the Bherwala Gate. During the partition riots in 1947, it was burnt to ashes. Taxali Gate had been demolished due to illegal construction and encroachments.”

“Our research shows that the architecture of all gates built by the Mughals resembles Roshnai Gate and we are planning to replicate it.”

He said the WCLA will remove encroachments.

WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said, “The primary objective of the proposed reconstruction of the Taxali and Shah Alam Gates is to revive the Walled City of Lahore.,” he said

Lashari told The Express Tribune that work would be undertaken in five stages over a period of one year.

He said the first stage of the project involved documentation and analysis involving extensive investigations over a period of 15 days.

The second stage, he said, was removal of encroachments and initiating a resettlement action plan within a month.

The third stage, he said, involved recreating the paths leading to and from the gates.

He said the fourth stage involved construction of the gate over a period of ten months.

He said the fifth and final stage would involve usage of the gates as access points for traffic and tourists.

Lashari said WCLA would ensure funds generated from the reconstructing Shah Alam Gate and Taxali Gate would be used exclusively for the upkeep, maintenance and operations of the gates.

He said separate accounts would be opened for this purpose to give exclusivity and autonomy to the administration of both the gates.

Reviving heritage: Taxali and Shah Alam Gates to be rebuilt – The Express Tribune

 

[Leader]

Great share @cb4

they also need to regain the sarkari property, free it from qabza groups like in shah alami market, kashmiri bazar (unfortunately all of it) but if the real walled city is to be regained, all gabza groups need to be kicked out once and for all !

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

@cb4 awesome... thanks man!

 

[Edevelop]

 

[krash]

I know that these projects are being funded by the UN or the WB (can't remember), but I also remember Prince Karim Agha saying a few years ago that he was planning on financing the rebuild of the old city. Does he have any hand in this?

 

[[Bregs]]

Heritage character of this historic city must be maintained

 

[Edevelop]

Royal Trail

 

[Edevelop]

World Bank delegation visits the Walled City

LAHORE: World Bank South Asia Vice President Philippe Le Houerou and Isabel Guerrero, the former vice president, visited the historical Walled City on Monday to witness progress on the restoration being funded by the international financial institution.

The World Bank delegation visited the historical Delhi Gate, Gali Surjan Singh, Phuloun Wali Gali, Gali Mian Sultan, Wazir Khan mosque, Chohatta Qazi Allahdad, Gali Gol Pehlwan, and Shahi Hammam. At the end the tour, the delegates visited the Badshahi Masjid.

Talib Hussain, the cultural and heritage expert at the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) informed the delegates about histories of various buildings in the area. Houerou said, “Historical sites of the world need to be restored. The quality of the façade and infrastructure laid out by the WCLA has been excellent. But there is room for improvement in preservation of historical monuments.”

He was especially impressed by the architectural design of Shahi Hammam (royal bath).

He interacted with the local community and social activists and appreciated their role in implementation of the project.

Guerrero said, “We look forward to working with the WCLA in the years to come. The mobilisation and communication teams of the WCLA have done an excellent of job educating local residents about the importance of restoring the historical site.”

WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari said, “World Bank representatives’ visit is a recognition of our efforts. Such projects are very sensitive because the work involves public as well as private properties.” He said social mobilisation was the most challenging aspect of restoration work. He hoped that the World Bank would continue to support the project


Investment return: World Bank delegation visits the Walled City – The Express Tribune

 

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[Abu Zolfiqar]

Lahore tou Lahore ayyyy.

 

[Bahoz]

This is a beautiful place. It needs to be preserved. Governments have very little respect of architectal sites. It is unfortunate, but this one definitely needs to be saved!