Daily Times

LAHORE: The project of Royal Trail package-2 has been completed by Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), Daily Times learnt on Monday.

The package started in 2015 and is now completed with a cost of Rs 650 million. The major interventions in the project were façade improvements and infrastructure development of the area to provide better living standards to the residents and to restore the area to its original condition. As per the statistics provided by WCLA, the area of this patch is 0.16 km square , population is almost 30,000, number of properties is 600 and total streets and road length is 3.75 kilometres.

Previously in 2015, the package -1 was completed by WCLA which included the same components and included monuments like Shahi Hammam, Delhi Gate and Wazir Khan Mosque.

WCLA Media Deputy Director Tania Qureshi while talking to Daily Times, said, “The Royal Trail was a royal route used by the Mughals for travelling from Delhi to Lahore Fort. All the main monuments like Shahi Hammam, Wazir Khan Chowk, Havelis of Dina Nath, Mian Sultan and Khushal Jamadar Singh, Maryam Zamani Mosque, Janam Asthan Guru Arjun Ram, Samadhi Bhai Mani Singh and old temple are on this trail. The restoration of the route was taken up in two parts, first was Delhi Gate to Kotwali Chowk and second was Kotwali to Masti Gate opposite the Akbari Gate of Lahore Fort through Chowk Chunna Mandi and Moti Bazaar. The first phase has picked up tourism and as the second phase is also completed we will be promoting it as a tourist trail by extending the tours up to Lahore Fort through this trail.”

While visiting the location, the residents and the traders were of the opinion that due to open drainage and sewerage system there were a lot of unhygienic issues in the area. The traders added that the hanging wires and electricity transformers were a threat to human life and many incidents had taken place in the past but this restoration process would make the place safe for them.

WCLA Director Engineering Akbar Munir while talking to Daily Times said that it was a hard task as the project area was a commercial zone and most of the work had to be carried out at night. “All the ugly looking transformers and hanging wires have been taken underground. We have removed almost 37 transformers and 73 poles from this patch as we had done in package -1. Sites were acquired where 23 new transformers have been placed and those are not an eye sore. Almost 2,267 electrical metres and 907 water meters have been installed. All the storm and sewerage pipes have been re-laid and the open drainage has been covered. We have laid down the tile flooring to give the street an antique look. We have also replaced the old shutters of the shops with new ones which are all alike,” he said.

Published in Daily Times, May 8^th 2018.