LAHORE: The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) is going to establish a buffer zone around Badshahi Mosque and the Lahore Fort to protect both the heritage sites.

WCLA Director General Kamran Lashari held a meeting with Commissioner Aamir Jan to discuss the matter of removal of Rim Market from the Fort Road.

He said the authority was taking measures to ensure safety of the international heritage and it would establish a buffer zone in and around the Badshahi Mosque and the Lahore Fort.

He said there were around 300 shops in the rim market on Fort Road which was creating problems for the tourists.

“A buffer zone would be established from the Lady Wellington Hospital to Badami Bagh Chowk.”

Mr Lashari said the market would be shifted to truck adaa near the Ring Road and the matter had been discussed with the shopkeepers. He said the shifting of the market had been discussed with the commissioner who would facilitate the authority to revive and protect the world heritage sites.

Mr Lashari said all the streets and residential localities would be modernised and all the electricity infrastructure, drain and sewerage towards the Delhi Gate would be developed underground. He said an underground parking lot would also be established at the Ali Park and the authority would rehabilitate the Summer Palace in the Lahore Fort besides a museum in the basement. He said the move would promote tourism and would also help the locals to have new avenues of earning by developing the area.

The WCLA DG said the tomb of Emperor Jahangir’s mother, Mariam Zamani, would also be opened for the tourists, all the encroachments would be removed around it and a garden would also be established. He added that the Akbari Gate, the main entrance to the Lahore Fort, would also be restored and the parking issue would also be resolved.

“All the areas, which are cut off from the Lahore Fort, would be restored under the project,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2022