Lack of funds hampers Lahore Fort renovation

LAHORE
EVEN after getting the administrative control of Lahore Fort, the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) is unable to start any major conservation, renovation and beautification work following non-transfer of Punjab Heritage Foundation funds to the authority.
Sources in the WCLA said the issue had been taken up to the highest level by the authority but in vain. They said this had practically stopped all plans of the authority regarding renovation, conservation and beautification of this Mughal era’s monument and one of the World Heritage declared sites in Pakistan.
Sources said Punjab Heritage Foundation Fund would be transferred to Lahore Fort Proceed Fund for Walled City of Lahore Authority but since it’s taking over it was not done. Sources claimed that a PC-1 for renovation, conservation and beautification of Lahore Fort with estimated cost of Rs900 million was prepared by the WCLA but due to non-availability of funds, it is pending for approval. Sources revealed that the Galleries and Museum present in the Lahore Fort were in the possession of the Department of Archeology, Punjab. The Lahore Fort has been transferred to WCLA vide notification No SO(Dev)7-19/2014 dated 20 October 2014 without the said places. A museum and two galleries situated in Lahore Fort; one gallery is of Mughal Art, the other is of Sikh Art and weapons of different eras are displayed in the museum. Sources said the museum and Mughal art gallery were open for general public while Sikh Art Gallery opened only for VIP visitors.
Sources said recently a high-level meeting was held with the chief secretary in chair, in which all stakeholders participated. Sources said the Secretary Archeology Department briefed the meeting regarding Punjab Heritage Fund and revealed that the meeting of its Board of Governors was pending since 2005. The chief secretary directed all the secretaries concerned to organise this meeting to resolve this issue. Giving future conservation, renovation and beautification plans of WCLA regarding Lahore Fort, Tanya Qureshi, of WCLA said the authority had planned to establish new tourist shops, which included souvenir shops, flower shops, costumes shops, photography shops and etc to facilitate tourists. She said Seesh Mehal, Summer Palace and Madam Bamba Museum, which were closed for visitors, would be opened after renovation and conservation.
She said restoration and renovation of Lahore Fort would be done with the help of international donors, multi-national companies and local philanthropists. She said as soon as the WCLA received funds, it would start the conservation, restoration and beautification.