Lahore’s old city is going through a major change under a heritage revival plan, and the project has now been placed directly under the leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Nawaz Sharif.
According to a recent notification issued by the Punjab government’s Local Government and Community Development Department, Nawaz Sharif has been made chairman of the newly formed board of the Lahore Heritage Area Revival project, also known as LHAR.
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif only held the position of chief patron of the project. This meant he could give advice but had no formal powers. Under the new rules, the project’s legal structure has been changed and a proper board has been formed. This board is now headed directly by the three-time former prime minister.
The notification was published in the Punjab Gazette on July 23. It was issued under Section 8-A of the Punjab Walled Cities and Heritage Areas Authority Act 2012. The notification was approved by the governor of Punjab.
With this change, the Lahore Heritage Area Revival Board has been formally established. The board now has full executive and administrative powers. Officials say this step was taken to remove bureaucratic delays in restoring the city’s historic sites.
The heritage project covers several important areas of old Lahore, including the Neela Gumbad area. Details of the ongoing work were shared by Fatima Atta, spokesperson for LHAR, during a briefing.
According to Atta, several government departments are working together on the project. These include the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency, known as TEPA, and the Walled City of Lahore Authority. TEPA is handling infrastructure work, such as building basements and laying underground cables for electricity and telecom systems. The Walled City Authority is handling the restoration of old buildings.
A major part of the plan is to turn old city streets into walking paths. This includes the route from New Anarkali to Paan Gali in Lohari. It also includes Bora Bazaar, which has Bakshi Market inside it. Another walking route will run from Anarkali to Kacheri Chowk, and then onward to Neela Gumbad.
Many buildings along these routes are old. All of them are being restored as part of the project.
One of the biggest parts of the plan is a new public space called Neela Gumbad Square. Fatima compared it to Times Square in New York, saying it will become a place for people to walk and gather. Fountains and seating areas will be added. The Parks and Horticulture Authority will help plant trees and grass in the area.
Other nearby heritage sites are also being restored. These include Ewin Hall and the old Bank of India building, which once served as the State Bank building. A mosque near Neela Gumbad is also being renovated. Cars will be able to enter and exit the area through a set route near King Edward Medical College, while some roads nearby will be closed to traffic.
Atta also responded to earlier criticism in media reports. She said past reports only mentioned TEPA, even though other departments were also doing important work on the ground. She said the project now has a monitoring system in place to track progress and check for delays.
She further said that shopkeepers near Neela Gumbad were paid compensation a year before their shops were relocated. She said officials had collected data on each shop’s daily business and income before deciding how much compensation to give. According to her, this was done so shopkeepers would not lose their livelihood during construction.
With Nawaz Sharif now leading the board with full executive powers, officials believe the project will move forward faster. The government says the goal is to restore Lahore’s historic buildings and streets while creating new public spaces for residents and visitors.
