January 25, 2007	Thursday	Muharram 05, 1428

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LAHORE, Jan 24: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi on Wednesday launched the pilot project for the development of the Walled City under which the Mughal Royal Trail from Delhi Gate to the Fort would be restored in two years.

“This is a highly important project for the residents of the Walled City, Lahore and Pakistan. It will reveal to the world our rich cultural heritage, attract tourism and improve the people’s standard of living,” he said after a briefing held at Delhi Gate’s Shahi Hamam.

During the briefing the chief minister asked questions about different aspects of the pilot project and gave directions for further improvements. Sustainable Development of Walled City of Lahore Project Director-General Humayun Farshori gave the briefing.

Federal Defence Production Minister Habibullah Warriach, Lahore Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood, provincial ministers, MPAs, chief secretary Salman Siddique, P&D chairman Suleman Ghani and town nazims were also present.

The chief minister said the overall Walled City restoration would cost around Rs6 billion whereas the Royal Trail would be developed at a cost of Rs600 million. The World Bank had committed assistance for the project and the provincial government would seek funds also from other donor agencies. But its share would be the largest.

He said under the pilot project all buildings of historical importance would be restored to their original shape. The Circular Gardens would be restored and developed and the public lighting, sewerage and sanitation system along the Royal Trail would be improved. The wiring would be taken underground and ugly looking transformers and electric poles removed. Improvement of the Circular Road was also included in the project, he said.

He said encroachments would be removed in the Royal Trail especially around Delhi Gate, Masjid Wazir Khan, Akbari Gate of the fort and Rang Mahal’s Baoli Bagh. The chief minister made it clear that no one would be forcibly evicted and the occupants would be given more than the market price of the removed shops, in addition to some better place within the Walled City for business.

“We are not going to dislodge people, but intend to restore and protect our historical heritage. We will do this while giving benefit to the people,” he said, adding that the project would provide jobs to thousands of people. It would also generate handicraft business in view of the expected tourism.

The government, he said, would engage local nazims and politicians during the execution of the project to tell the residents that it was meant for their Walled City’s welfare. He hastened to add that none of the succeeding governments paid any attention to the development of the area and this was the present government’s initiative.

Pervaiz Elahi directed the officials concerned to beautify the Circular Gardens so that the Walled City residents could take their children there for recreation. He also said the area should be opened to the public as soon as it was developed so that they could know what good was being done to them and their living quarters.

He said a lot of effort had been put in for preparing the project. After conceiving the idea the government checked as to where similar historical places had been restored in the world. It selected an Italian firm through an international tender for designing the master plan.

The firm had earlier made a master plan for the restoration of Moroccan city Fez and its officials stayed here for six months before making the blue print. A team of senior government officials, including the P&D chairman, visited Fez to see as to how it had been restored.

“Today we are launching the project and I pray for its completion,” he said.

He said Lahore was an historical city and this fact was much more appreciated by foreign visitors than by its citizens. The Canadian province Ontario’s premier greatly appreciated the historical aspect of the fort when he visited it two days ago. He also paid homage to Allama Iqbal at his mausoleum, he said.

The chief minister praised President Pervez Musharraf for giving historical monuments like the fort and Shalamar Gardens to Punjab which was spending Rs300 million on each one’s restoration. “Visit the places and you will find a marked improvement even now,” he said.

During the briefing, the chief minister directed the officials concerned to also construct an underground parking lot near the fort. The wiring should be taken underground without disturbing other service lines there. No one from any agency like telephone or Wasa should be allowed to dig streets without permission, he ordered.

Earlier, in his briefing, Mr Farshori explained different aspects of the project which, he said, was aimed at urban development and protection of the Walled City’s cultural heritage. The place would become a source of tourism, generating economic activity.

He said a legal framework was being made for creating an authority under which the Walled City and other historical places in Punjab could be developed. The final draft would be ready in one month for legislation, he said.

He said the project included construction of all original gates of the Walled City and its boundary wall, and restoration of its Circular Gardens. The garden around the Walled City was spread over 106 acres out of which 35 acres had been occupied. Not a single inch of the garden land would now be allowed to be occupied by anyone, he said.

He said the Parks and Horticulture Authority had been asked to develop the garden and negotiations were being held with Wapda for the shifting of its three grid stations from there. He said the pilot project would be replicated in the entire Walled City.

Later, the chief minister went to the Masjid Wazir Khan and ordered improvement in the sewerage system so as to protect its sinking wall on the Kashmiri Bazaar side. He also ordered removal of clocks and fans affixed in the mosque. Only pedestal fans and clocks should be placed there.