LAHORE:The Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) is restoring the ancient Koocha Hussain Shah located behind Masjid Wazir Khan and the restoration will be completed by end of 2024.
According to the history provided by the WCLA, this neighborhood was named after the person Hussain Shah, renowned for his ability to treat eye infections and illness. He was reputed to possess a surma (kohl) that could even restore lost vision or blindness. Additionally, he served as the warden of the Rezakar team before the establishment of Pakistan.
The project in charge Mubashir Hassan explained that at present the restoration work was under way to revive the historical significance of the houses, street infrastructure, and other features around the mosque. ‘The ADP scheme for Koocha Hussain Shah was approved in 2021 and the Punjab government’s funding is being used for the rehabilitation project’, Mubashar added.
He mentioned that the rehabilitation included the restoration of 31 buildings and 400 meters of street infrastructure whereas 13 of these buildings had historical significance and could be stated that are almost 200 years old. Mubashar also said, ‘Following the approval of the restoration scheme, architectural documentation and rehabilitation proposals were made and 3D scanning of the buildings was done to get to know the exact condition of the buildings. The project was shared with the Heritage Conservation Board of WCLA and later the work began and will be completed by 2024 end and the approximate cost of the project is Rs90 million.’