WALLED CITY OF LAHORE

AUTHORITY: THE ROYAL TRAIL

HERITAGE PROJECT

• Kamran Lashari joined Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) as its new Director General
in December 2012.
• The Royal Trail Heritage Project was facing challenges, including local inhabitants' outrage,
informal real estate mafia interference, and the departure of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
• Lashari had a history of successful urban heritage regeneration projects, but the Royal
Trail Heritage Project was much more complex.
• The project covered a large, densely populated area of over 2.6 square kilometers,
housing over 145,000 residents.
• WCLA functioned as the primary contractor and coordinator, relying on technical and civil
project partners, including the now-absent Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
• Lashari considered approaches to bring back AKTC, including contacting the World Bank,
the government of Punjab, or AKTC's head office in Geneva.
• Lashari also faced the dilemma of prioritizing certain stakeholders without encouraging
further resistance or undermining the legitimacy of others.
• Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) was established in 2012 as an autonomous
organization for the conservation, planning, development, management, and regulation of
the area.
• The Royal Trail, also known as Shahi Guzargah, was a historic area connecting famous
landmarks in the walled city of Lahore.
• The area included various bazaars representing the rich cultural traditions of Lahore, but
suffered from illegal encroachments, poor waste collection, and a lack of funding for
restoration projects.

• Pilot project: The Shahi Guzargah (The Royal Trail)

• Area covered: 700 meters from Delhi gate to Purani Chowk Kotwalli
• Included: 57 streets, restoration of facades, upgradation of 850 buildings, installation of
new infrastructure systems
• Removal of shop vendors and encroachments from pavements
• Planning: Project divided into portions, streets and sub-streets named, detailed
engineering drawings prepared
• Surveys: Topographical, building, socio-economic, water quality
• Team: Conversationalists, architects, urban planners, engineers
• Social mobilization team: Trust-building with local populace, community-based
organization, street presidents
• Legal contracts obtained from every household
• Project cost: Rs. 700 million
• Contractor: Qavi Engineers Pvt. Ltd.
• Consultants: Associated Consulting Engineers (ACE)

Issues Arising:
• Narrow lanes and densely populated area causing access and safety issues for construction
workers
• Inconvenience, noise, and intrusion affecting residents' daily life
• Growing tension and resistance from the local community
• Disruptions to utilities like electricity and water causing discontent
• Local real estate mafia fueling protests against the project
• Obstacles with individual businesses affecting conservation work
• Frequent change in leadership at Walled City Authority leading to uncertainty
• Departure of Aga Khan Trust for Culture as primary technical knowledge partner

Main Challenges:
• Balancing technical, managerial, and social complexities of the project
• Ensuring alignment between conservation artists, artisans, and building owners
• Managing scarce financial resources across a technically complex project scope
• Maintaining good working relationships with partners, donors, and the community

Consequences of Project Failure:

• Loss of social and economic benefits for the walled city community
• Inability to achieve long-term urban sustainability targets
• Reduced potential to attract external investment and sustain local businesses
• Negative impact on future large-scale historic conservation projects in Pakistan

Moving Forward:
• Address the unique and complex challenges of the Royal Trail Heritage Project
• Ensure the project's success to set the stage for future conservation and urban
regeneration initiatives
• Rebuild crucial relationships with technical advisors, such as the Aga Khan Trust for
Culture
• Find a way to balance stakeholder interests while keeping them committed to the
project's objectives