Historical Shahi Bagh undergoing massive facelift

PESHAWAR: An unprecedented repair and restoration work is in full swing to revive the glory of Mughal-era Shahi Bagh - one of the oldest and largest gardens in the provincial metropolis.

Located in Faqirabad and developed by first Mughal and later Durrani rulers, this majestic park originally spread over 800 kanal of land and has a significant recreational as well as historical value for the city and its inhabitants. Mountstuart Elphinstone, the first British envoy to arrive in Peshawar in his 1809 detailed memoir ‘Kingdom of Caubul’ gushed over the garden with praise.

The encroachments made with time after the Independence in the form of unplanned concrete buildings greatly reduced the area of this recreational green space.

These mindless infringements and the past neglect deprived the people of the provincial metropolis of a rare place which has been acknowledged as a ‘national heritage site’.

Under the Antiquities Act and the National Heritage Act, Shahi Bagh is a protected national heritage. Under the Heritage Act any garden or other historic place 100 years or older, automatically acquires the status of national heritage.

The structures built on the Shahi Bagh land included local government department offices, Government College Peshawar, Municipal Inter-College for Girls, two wedding halls (one in Pardah Bagh), Peshawar Gymkhana, Pakistan Tennis Club, Arbab Niaz Cricket Stadium, Tehmas Khan Football Ground, Funland amusement park and a Football Stadium.

The ill-planned interventions, encroachments and a lack of proper maintenance kept on deteriorating the condition of Shahi Bagh. The first encouraging development was witnessed in 2009 when the then Awami National Party -Pakistan People’s Party coalition government carried out the beautification and renovation work at the historical park with the financial support from a premier international development agency, USAID.

Next year, the then Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Ijaz Afzal Khan took suo motu notice of the issue.

The PHC on October 3, 2012, ordered the KP government to do away with all built structures on the premises of Shahi Bagh, observing the historical garden was a protected national heritage and should be restored to the original area.

The court on November 4, 2011 passed a strict order for a revival of the historic garden and asked the secretaries concerned to submit the revival plan of Shahi Bagh.

The present Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government this year launched the ambitious “Peshawar Revival Plan” to uplift Peshawar, one of the oldest living cities of South Asia.

A committee was constituted for the purpose with experts from various sections of the society, civil society, cultural activists and journalists as members of the body.

A young and energetic heritage activist and former Town One Council member hailing from Peshawar, Irfan Saleem, is an adviser to the project being executed in Shahi Bagh. Sub-engineer Mohammad Riaz is supervising the entire work along with his two colleagues.

Irfan Saleem told The News the repair and renovation work was launched at the Shahi Bagh three months back to remove encroachments and revive its beauty. “The work is expected to be completed in the mid of March, next year,” he added.

He said the project was planned by the present PTI government. “We have been able to reclaim 121.7 kanal of land encroached in the past. It will be remiss on my part if I do not acknowledge the PHC honourable judges whose orders helped us reclaim the land and ultimately launch the restoration work,” said the young PTI member while thanking the PHC for the support which enabled the government brave all the pressures from the reluctant bureaucracy and contractors whom he termed a mafia.

Giving the details of the encroached land reclaimed for the restoration of Shahi Bagh, Irfan Saleem said Pardah Bagh (park for women) and a wedding hall had been constructed on 24 kanal of land; Funland was developed by grabbing 34.75 kanal land and Traffic Police had occupied 63 kanal of land which was being used to park the impounded vehicles.

About the retrieved land utilisation, he said of the total 121.7 kanal of reclaimed land, 38.57 kanal had been included in Shahi Bagh while 83 kanal allocated for developing a Ladies Park with a number of facilities.

He said the repair and renovation work at Shahi Bagh is being carried out at a cost of Rs 25.9 million. “This work will lend an attractive look to this heritage site which faced utter neglect in the past,” assured the 33-year-old Ifran Saleem.

The project adviser said the fountain tiles were being replaced with super white marble which was used in the fountains at the Shalimar Bagh in Lahore.

“Unlike tacky bathroom tiles, the super white marble is more durable and easy to maintain,” he explained and said the power wires and motors had been concealed now to enhance the beauty of the fountains which could remain functional round-the-clock.

Irfan Saleem said being conscious of environmental impact, no tree has been felled during the on-going restoration work but plants were relocated, where necessary, after hiring the expertise of the Forest and Environment departments.

“The trees in Shahi Bagh have been properly documented by assigning the species names and numbering. It will help us with record keeping and minimise threats from illegal felling,” he elaborated and added that trees would also be received from the Punjab Forest Department and a plant-lover senior lady from Peshawar.

Project Supervisor Engineer Mohammad Riaz said the new lighting system, wooden benches and dustbins were being placed in the park.

“The wood used in the benches is water and sunlight-resistant. It is used in making boats,” said the official when questioned about the durability of the benches.

He said a soft jogging trail was being developed on the request of the elderly people and those from the mid-age groups as the hard track lead them to joint pains. “The soft jogging track is two-kilometre long and hence longer than the one in a park in Cantt which is 1.6 km long,” he added.

About the Ladies Park, Irfan Saleem, said it would be the biggest such facility for the women in the city area because it would cover 83 kanal of land.

“The park will be developed in one year at a cost of Rs 170 million. It will be reserved for only women and kids with indoor and outdoor gyms while ensuring full privacy of women. There will be a separate playing area for children,” he added.

He said a boundary wall would separate the facility, over three-time bigger than the Pardah Bagh, from Shahi Bagh.

“There will be no concrete structures in the Ladies Park except for washrooms, rooms for watchmen and those for gardeners. There will be a 10-feet wide green belt outside the boundary wall of the Ladies Park,” added Irfan Saleem while hoping that all work would be completed in time.