The construction work being undertaken at the National Management College building on The Mall shows once again the disdain we have for our heritage. The colonial-time building is part of the city's receding Romanesque and Gothic architecture that makes it a proud host of historical buildings in that category. The NMC structure, like so many other buildings along The Mall, is protected by law so to speak.
The college administration was bound to seek permission from the archaeology department before even a stone was moved but that never happened. The roof was hurriedly pulled down; doors, windows and fixtures were dislodged. It is said that the college administration wants an expanded building for its growing needs but the contractor hired to do the needful has little concern for conservation. The administration says it is repairing, not reconstructing, the building. But the rules have been flouted and a better explanation is required.
A similar fate has befallen many historical buildings from the colonial era. Utilitarian purposes have been cited. Some, such as the Lady Aitchison Hospital built in 1887, have been demolished and new construction has been erected in their place. The historical Faletti's Hotel building, which a cash-strapped former government auctioned off, remains a concern to those who take Lahore's heritage seriously.
Better sense prevailed 10 years ago when the Punjab Assembly building was saved from decimation and a decision was taken to construct a bigger assembly hall behind the historical structure. A commercial bank also set a good precedent by conserving the Roman façade of a historical building on The Mall before modernising its interiors. As for the NMC building, the authorities concerned must wake up now and save it from demolition or defacement. The college's need for additional blocks should not mean the destruction of our built heritage.
