Lahore: PHA chalks out plan to beautify Lahore

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Circular Road’s ‘tonga stand’ to be renovated
* Gems and jewellery stalls to be set up at Lohari Gate

LAHORE: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has chalked out a plan to beautify the surroundings of the Walled City gates and Circular Road, and to make a picnic spot on the Canal to restore tradition to Lahore. In the first phase, the PHA would beautify Circular Road, which starts from Naulakha and ends at the Bhaati Gate. It would also focus on the different gates of the Walled City.

Tonga stand: The PHA would also renovate the ‘tonga’ stand, where horse carts used to be parked. The horse carts are a part of the tradition of Lahore and a large number of people still use them for travelling within the city. Most people travelling on Circular Road and adjacent roads used horse carts, which was also an attraction for foreign tourists. “Looking at the tradition of the city, the PHA decided to beautify the major horse cart stand to make it more attractive not only to the locals but also to the tourists,” PHA spokesman Javed Shaida said.

Lohari Gate: The PHA would also set up shops and stalls of gems and jewellery outside the Lohari Gate. Roadside hawkers and street vendors are already doing business in the areas but the PHA would streamline the trade. “The vendors are using footpaths and streets for business but the authority would make stalls,” he said, and added that the PHA would give a special space to bird sellers outside Mochi Gate.

A picnic spot would also be set up at the Canal near Jallo Morh. There would be hearths, tables, hand pumps and canopies at the Canal and the people would not have to pay a fee. Shaida said the PHA had demolished encroachments from the green belts of major city roads. He said Walton Road had been cleaned; Ferozepur Road, Jail Road, Shaukat Ali Road and Grand Trunk (GT) Road were beautified and cleared from encroachments. He said the PHA had planted around 55,000 trees in the city in its tree plantation campaign. nauman tasleem

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