Located on The Mall, the building that now houses the offices of the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) reflects the colonial history of the Indian subcontinent.

Constructed in March 11, 1932, the building adjacent to Shah Baloot Park, Odeon Cinema and the Cantonment General Library is an example of Anglo-Indian architecture.

Its foundation was laid by then station commander Rawalpindi and RCB president Brig W.K. Venninc.

Another plaque on the main building informs visitors about the elected body that held its first board meeting in the building. The board included RCB vice president A. M. Jan, Lt Col John Powell, Lt Col W.E.R Williams, Capt Armstrong, H.A. Macbean, Lt Col W. M. Hore, Lala Ram Parshad Syal, Seth Adam Ji Mamoo Ji, Sheikh Fazal Ellahi, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi, Lala Sita Ram Sahni, Harnam Singh and RCB executive officer Maj H.H. Marshall.

The building was the property of Lansdown Trust Property Board. In 1891, Sardar Kirpal Singh Rai Bahadar and Sardar Sujan Singh Rai Bahadar established the trust for education and recreational activities for cantonment residents. A cinema house, a park and library were also established.

In 1932, the cantonment board constructed an office building on a portion of the land situated in front of the Military Hospital in the western side of library. Later, N.D. Arjan Das, the then elected member of RCB, filed a case in court against its construction, saying the board was not entitled to construct any building for its own interest. Das later withdrew the case.

The land was later reclassified and transferred to the cantonment board for construction of an office building along with a piece of land measuring 4,382 square feet for a petrol pump.

According to RCB records, in 1938, Sham Lal raised a point of order in the Punjab Legislative Assembly about this construction and the minister concerned promised for an investigation into the issue.

Meanwhile, World War II started and the case was not pursued further. The board started paying rent for the building to the Lansdowne Trust for its use.

The main building is surrounded by verandas and pillars. The main hall, which served as a meeting hall and a party room, has been turned into the office of the cantonment executive officer (CEO).

The main hall is surrounded by wooden galleries. In Indian and Turkish culture, such galleries were allocated for musicians.

Many old timers said the Shah Baloot Park and RCB office had a big lawn but it is now reduced to a small portion due to the expansion of the road.

“The dancing house was an old building of Odeon Cinema as earlier it was Lansdowne Trust Institute for dance. But in 1897, it was converted into a cinema,” Cantonment Executive Officer Sibtain Raza told Dawn.

He said the building was owned by the Lansdowne Trust Property and the RCB was paying rent for it.

“Earlier, the National Bank of Pakistan RCB branch and the Chaklala Cantonment Board also used to pay rent but later they shifted their offices to their own buildings.”

He said the RCB tried to preserve the building in its original shape. He added that the RCB had allocated funds to improve the external parts of the park. Work on the project will start by the end of the current month as the contract has been awarded, he said.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2019