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Urban Generosity: Strategies for Rejuvenation of Historic Site- Mughal Tombs

of Shahdara

Article · January 2023

DOI: 10.47205/plhr.2022(6-IV)27

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 P-ISSN 2708-6453 Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review Oct-Dec 2022, Vol. 6, No. 4
O-ISSN 2708-6461 http://doi.org/10.47205/plhr.2022(6-IV)27 [282-295]

RESEARCH PAPER
Urban Generosity: Strategies for Rejuvenation of Historic Site-
Mughal Tombs of Shahdara
Ar. Nida Qanber Abbasi*1 Ar. Asia Jabeen2 Ar. Maliha Khalid3

1. Lecturer, Architecture, Department, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Punjab,
Pakistan
2. Assistant Professor, Architecture, Department, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore,
Punjab, Pakistan
3. Assistant Professor, Architecture, Department, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore,
Punjab, Pakistan
*Corresponding Author [email protected]
ABSTRACT
This paper is an attempt to identify Shahdra’s assets to be served as a base for urban
rejuvenation. The core objective is to study the historiography of Shahdra monument
which is categorized by its wonderful features of architecture and artwork. The site was
initially dedicated as a Royal Garden named as “Dilkushah Garden”. Afterwards, it was
converted into a burial place and currently, it is functioning as a recreational place. In
the twentieth century, the raise in urban population transformed historic sites into
modern cities. Urban rejuvenation is a process of inducing life in decaying tangible and
intangible assets. This marvelous heritage site is now endangered and losing its grandeur
due to the socio-economic and political factors. Though a number of laws and policies
are in place inadequate implementation. In conclusion, a set of guiding principles in the
field of urban studies has been developed to upgrade the built heritage.

Dilkusha Garden, Heritage Upgradation, Mughal Tombs, Policies

KEYWORDS
Implementation, Shahdara, Urban Revitalization
Introduction

In developing countries of the world, cultural heritage has been depicted

through historic monuments, archaeological sites, and urban heritage. The changing
aspects of urban regeneration have been one of the core reasons for the rising cost of
urban land. The change in living patterns has shifted the socio-economic activities to
political scenarios putting pressure on the cultural heritage of the region. Pakistan is an
important part of this chain and socio-economic and physical characteristics of the
urban fabric has also been changed intensely. Poring all the processes of these
transformations reveals a reality that change is the only constant member of this world.

In the previous decades, only 10% of the population was living in urban areas
but at present, urban areas have been occupied by immigrants. According to United
Nations, almost 75% of the world’s population will be part of urban societies. This rapid
urban growth is affecting developing nations and growth is too high to touch the value
of sixty percent by 2030 (Johnson, 2008).

Since the 1960s another factor was realized by the urban community that modern
planning has been creating an alarming situation towards cultural heritage putting it at
great threat. All the processes of modernization served as the basis for the development
Pakistan Languages and Humanities Review Oct-Dec 2022, Vol. 6, No. 4

of the concepts regarding heritage conservation. The link has been tried to develop
between rehabilitation, regeneration of the urban areas and preservation, conservation,
restoration, and conservation of the built heritage by the local, regional and
international agencies of the world with the involvement of conservation practitioners,
architects, and urban planners. In the last decade, the urban upgradation projects did
not consider the management and monitoring of the heritage sites. All these
developments need community participation and policy formulations starting the from
local level to the international level.

In the result of unplanned urban sprawl around the heritage sites, chaos has been
created failing to control deterioration and damage.

In a nutshell, various policies regarding the integrity and authenticity of the

conservation practices adopted by the Government and different organizations will help
to set a framework based on guiding principles to conserve historic monuments and
urban areas. Lahore is a showcase of 109 various significant historic buildings and a
number of them were built during the Mughal period (Figure 1).

Figure 1 Map showing British and Mughal Period Buildings. Green dots show
Mughal era Buildings while the Blue dots shows British era Buildings Source: Mapping
Lahore: Tracing Historical Gepgraphy of a City through Maps by AbdurRehman
published by Al-Meezan Publishers in 2013

These architectural monuments represent Persian architectural features in the

local environment establishing new distinctive independent styles based on central
Asian Traditions. Empress Noor Jahan built a large Royal Garden named Dilkusha
Garden. Afterward, this marvelous garden was transferred as a burial place of three
Royal members of fourth Mughal emperor at Rajaukri, Emperor Jahangir (d.1627), his
wife Empress Noor Jahan (d.1645), and her brother Asif Khan (d.1641) within the close
vicinity of each other. There is a distinctive relationship between the three royal tombs
and a serai. It is one of those funeral places where a garden is dominant and burial
places are in the secondary stage of importance.

Literature Review
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The most substantial part is to understand the meaning of “Heritage”. Heritage

can be defined in a number of ways, one of them is “Anything which is inherited from
the Past” according to McManus, 1997. The other concept regarding heritage is: the only
constant is change and our heritage sites and monuments symbolize our cultural
identity through various ideologies. We understand these ideologies, at times, when our
cultural assets either a monument or historic urban areas are threatened to be
deteriorated due to various factors. Our cultural heritage must be protected as it retains
our historical, cultural values, and norms, and historic artifacts which can be used by
the next generations to remember our past. Pakistani historic urban landscape is
embellished by our historic monuments and heritage sites. The built heritage reflects
unique features of our history and traditions.

Significance of Built Heritage

According to Ashworth and Nasser,heritage signifies the most current segment

of refurbishing urban fabric (Naseer, 2003). This perception offers the motives for the
confirmation that heritage is the connection between the conservation of history for its
inherent worth and as a reserve from contemporary society. There are a lot of pros and
cons to the rejuvenation of urban spaces and physical heritage. Various justifications
support the process of urban rejuvenation and multiple arguments limit the physical
conservation of urban heritage. International standards for countries and organizations
to identify and protect historical assets have been developed by the Council of Europe
in the Granada Convection conducted in 1985. Cornell explained that urban built
heritage should be considered as a source that collects with time, we may select floor
area or physical urban fabric, or both (O'Connell, 1989). With the passage of time, urban
Built heritage hoards sources in multiple layers, individually layer expressive a group
of rudiments from every developing historical period. The development of a city,
through accompaniments of such strata, is viewed as attainment.

Safeguarding urban built heritage sites are not an easy procedure. This
progression is biased and molded by challenging inconsistent standards and goods. The
term rejuvenation is an alternative name for regeneration. The historic spaces of
metropolises that incline to cover a noteworthy amount of heritage with reference to
built practice are those which are visible to renewal. The existence of danger or hazard
in the growth of a specific zone, includes the safeguarding of the built-up landscape of
the area. Larkham describes that didactically it is the responsibility of human beings to
recollect their forebear’s achievements. He also indicates the disagreement about the
monetary cost of sustaining and conserving built heritage. He proposes that destruction
is cost-effective and valuable but the attitude has transformed and societies are now
concerned with the impression of renewable energy. The perception of embodied
energy spins around the impression of computing the energy prices of the current
structure and then it is related and compared with the energy charge of destruction of
that structure or substituting it with another edifice (Larkham, 1996).

William Morris David who was the founder of the Society for the conservation
of Historic Structures (SPAB) trusts that preservation means safeguarding, however not
related to certain styles anymore, but is also concerned with the dire evolution of
contemporary buildings. Appropriate material is related to conserved in situ; any
challenge to refurbish or reproduce will only result in the damage of legitimacy and the
establishment of fake (David, n.d.). Urban renewal of heritage sites is an evolution of its
past glory in the present time.

Urban Fabric and Conflict

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Nasser states that historic environs and taking decisions about it, is a
contradiction that occurs between reinstating the previous because of its inherent
importance. It is an obligation for the development of society as a rejoinder to its varying
values (Naseer, 2003). There is a debate while developing revitalization plans for
existing buildings regarding creativity and retention. There is a big question about the
authenticity and integrity of the historic assets while preserving heritage, whether new
additions can be done maintaining historical characteristics or compromise is the only
solution.

Considering all the points, a number of methodologies develop to achieve the

desired results to restore the historic built environment. These approaches vary from
each other not only in the way they are approached but also differ with respect to the
outcome they produce. A few approaches with different school of thought have been
selected and has been stated as under:

1. A comparison has been made intentionally between the historic and modern
buildings with the goal to generate a distinction. In this pattern, Genius Loci has
specified a different element. The objective for the erection of a new distinctive
structure from the ancient building is not to generate disruption from pre-
existing buildings.

2. Facades are currently repeatedly experienced as a procedure of renewal and

restoration in conserving and preserving the built heritage environment. This
tactic is grounded on memorizing the facade of a structure while a new building
is constructed behind it. For many building experts, the facade performs as an
elucidation to the predicament kept in the urban fabric. Though there is a
difference in the method, some consider firmly that it offers an unreliable
clarification of metropolitan streetscape rather than a visionary answer.
However, its over-use effects in the damage of much fabric and often outdated
uses, abolishing the style of a conservation piece of land, whilst casually
recollecting its form (Barrett, Investigating Townscape Change and
Management in Urban Conservation Areas, 1993).

3. Larkham describes that the native architectural period attempts to build a

pseudo-vernacular thus reproducing the architectural vocabulary in the
surrounding area. Inappropriately this method often results in representative
energies which do not add to Genius Loci but frequently perform as a critical
form of Genius Loci (Larkham, 1996).

4. The tactic of stimulation graces replicates the outdated styles, such as Neo-
classical or Mughal. This attitude reflects the methods used in the pre-existing
buildings.

Built Heritage and Planning Practice

It is obvious that the improvement of metropolitan areas is obligatory for the

development of a specified society. If this will not happen, the metropolises would
worsen. Hence, they need alteration. However, a new attitude has industrialized which
emphasizes protection and pressures on it. This density is future from the general public
as a whole mostly from the expert community. Protection of traditional distinctiveness
is a lot more than just representative expression. Inspired communication and
statements with the past act as restraints but offer a set of chances, thus allowing
ground-breaking clarification of the encounters that are fashioned by the traditional and
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historic environment. In preserving and maintaining historic monuments and

archaeological sites, experts have a finalized object to represent.

Larkham clarifies the morphological methodology as a key tool for describing

goals of progress regarding the significance of heritage sites and historic urban spaces.
Morphological practices are multifaceted.

 First, it stresses the requirement for perpetuity and resemblance in the built
structures. Moreover, it requires planning experts to recognize and rate the
importance of Genius Loci.
 Second, it describes the philosophy of historicity. Historicity is a philosophy that
respects various phases and cultures associated with a structure or abode.
 Third, it suggests an analytical framework i.e. how the metropolitan landscape
is separated into the order of streets, buildings, and plots. The final step is
supportive and very concrete. It directly affects the conclusion and strategy-
making process and demonstrates precisely about the modification in charisma
of urban space.

Built Heritage and Commercial Development

Commercialization of the heritage sites is an adequate solution since it is stress-

free to find shareholders for merchandising developments as paralleled to public or
cultural ones. Additionally, it offers a building for public usage thereby getting it to
utility in modern urban life. It was established in the training of a numeral of retail
orders included in the refurbishment of the historic landscape of their particular cities
and towns, supported by English Heritage and CABE (Charted Association of Building
Engineers), that organization plays a vital role in the spatial organization of town hubs.
City cores are a center of merchandising activity. Moreover, city cores are one of the
richest fragments of the metropolitan in terms of the concentration of historic urban
landscapes. Therefore, the importance of commercial expansion in historic cities cannot
be neglected as it is a key to their maintainable trading activity. It doesn’t only include
in values and economy of cities but also proposes a long-term probability for heritage
sites by the adaptive reuse of these structure.

McCarthy describes that heritage endures to show the second contrivance to

financial increase and this is doubtful of adjustment (McCarthy, 2005). Rodwell
identifies that the main extortions to the cultural and social heritage of habitation are
from the degree of growth and dynamics symbol of huge floor space for commercial
activity i.e. retail services (Rodwell, 2010). Contrarily, the above-stated development
may not always lead to the destruction of our cultural and built heritage. Historical
buildings can be developed by inventive and adaptable reuse that can add a new life to
them.

The unavoidable influence of the growth of urban landscape will linger to oblige
historical built heritage but O Connell speaks that the metropolitan should not develop
as a museum of the previous city. It is a facilitation to live in its own time. An appropriate
organization augmented by monetary support can only safeguard, dialog, and suitable
management of the historic built environment (O'Connell, 1989).

Material and Methods

The current situation of the nominated site is an illustration of the destruction of

cultural heritage as well as environmental demolition. The urban decay of Shahdara
Mughal Tombs is due to rapid urbanization, unplanned extensions, and encroachments

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of commercial and residential zones. It has been identified that the core issues
concerning the decay of Mughal Monuments at Shahdara are the deterioration of the
built environment and the decline of infrastructure. In order to achieve the desired
results, research on a macro-scale is required. In the first phase, the desk-based study
about urbanization has been carried out, to find how urban sprawl has affected the
cultural heritage and how it can be evaluated. The facts and figures accessible online
and in libraries have been explored. The case studies are carefully chosen on the basis
of

 The selected methodology is case-study based. The selected case study is a tomb
complex , a burial place of royal family members.
 Data collection has been done by primary and secondary resources such as
electronic media and printed media.
 Book records has been taken into special consideration.
 Current maps has been downloaded from the internet such as Google maps, and
Google pro maps to record the changes over time.
 Record regarding the selected case study has been collected from the authorities
and local bodies to identify the historical records.

Case Study – Shahdra Tomb Complex

During the Mughal period, when Baber took over India in 1526, a chain of
marvelous gardens and serais were built at this point.
The main functions of the selected site, Shahdara:
 The site served as a halting place for the Mughal troops after crossing Ravi on the
way to Kashmir, Kabul, or the shooting lands of Sheikhupura from Lahore (Figure
2).
 Secondly as a recreation zone across the river from the Lahore citadel (Beach).

Figure 2 1893 map of Lahore showing the location of the Shahdara Monuments in elation to
the Ravi River and Lahore walled city (Historical Maps of India, n.d.)

Construction of tombs during the Mughal Dynasty is very less. The tombs of
Shahdara complex are one of a few examples of Mughal tombs. Shahjahan is recognized
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for his love for the arts. His so-called historian Kanbo recognized his emperor’s desire
for buildings as a requirement of virtuous rule (Koch, 1999).

The monuments of Shahdara vividly expose the passionate building of gardens

and funereal memorials in Lahore from the mid-16th to the mid-17th century. The royal
family developed a number of gardens along both sides of River Ravi for pleasure and
recreation making Lahore, the City of Gardens. One of them is a garden named as Mirza
Kamran’s Garden after the name of Mirza Kamran and the other is a splendid Dilkusha
Garden erected by Empress Noor Jahan (Figure 3).

Figure 3 Plan of Jahangir’s Tomb published in W. Griggs, India (Aijazuddin,

2003)

All these sets of buildings describe a distinctive amalgamation of architectural

and landscape impressions: the Persian origin of the foursquare garden----charbagh, the
imperial mausoleums, and the connectivity of water channels and pathways to the royal
tombs.

Tombs of Shahdara is a representation of state characteristics. It illustrates not

only historical but fabulous flairs of the Mughals in the sub-continent but also an evident
depiction of Mughal rule. It delivers a relationship between the revitalizing
commemorations of the pre-colonial past and attitudes associated with the past. It is
marked as a histrionic tool for informing the present historians about numerous
historical and cultural perceptions of Pakistan‘s past.

The tomb complex represents Mughal impressions of gardens as heaven on earth

and explicitly those related to funerary landscapes. It maintains the necessary plans for
historic gardens and the original distribution of constructed features, water elements,
and planting zones. The tombs and their garden surroundings recall the sense of
calmness and splendor formed by their artists.

Jahangir‘s Tomb is well conserved and preserves a decent level of reliability,

taking all the measures required to recognize its importance. Its material and
ornamentation have extraordinary value. While conservation, there is a substantial
means of evidence of the excellent craftsperson work of the era. In 1836 Baron Charles
Hugel had written that the terrace which goes around the roof of the structure is the most
sophisticated work found in India, ornamented with elegant pietra dura and marble
railing shown in (Figure 4) (Hugel, 1845).

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Figure 4 Pietra Dura work of Jahangir’s Tomb

Akbari Serai is an important part of the mausoleum complex. It is found in its
original plan and fabric and holds valuable evidence about the well-designed features of
the Mughal complex.

Asif Khan‘s Tomb is substantial in its spatial and ancestral association to the
Tomb of Jahangir. Although its once eminent ornamentation has been uncovered, the
original building fabric and the garden plan are in original condition. Asif Khan's tomb
is octagonal in form having a great spherical dome, constructed in the middle of
Chaharbagh with pools, fountains, and paths (Figure 5). Originally external facade was
ornamented with stone inlay work and the interior of the tomb has stucco patterns,
ghalibkari, and tile mosaic.

Abdul Hamid Lahori mentioned in his book that the entire tomb was decorated
with glazed tiles but most of the ornamentation has been destroyed due to the Sikh attack
(Lahori, 1886). Maha Raja Ranjeet Singh detached all white marble and costly stone from
the interior of the tomb in order to embellish the Amritsar temple and summer house in
HazuriBagh of Lahore (Latif, Lahore: Its History, Architectural Remains, and Antiquities,
2005).

Figure 5 Asif Khan’s Tomb

Tomb of Noor Jahan as compared to other tombs of the complex has lost its
significance due to the railway line which eliminated the eastern part of the tomb (Figure
6). This addition of a railway line disconnected it from the other tombs.

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Figure 6 Cenotaphs of Noor Jahan and her Daughter Ladli begum. Source

In the 19th century, during the British period, the stone covering of the tomb
building has been stripped off due to the Railway line, thus causing incurable damage to
the garden. The garden of Noor Jahan Tomb was also used for cultivation but in the Sikh
period all cladded stone had been stolen and the tomb became in valueless condition.

After Noor Jahan’s father’s death, she used to appear in the meetings as a
representative of his father and used her signatures on numerous official papers. She
married Emperor Jahangir in the sixth year of his rule. Shortly, at the Mughal court, she
turned out to be the head of the command. Noor Jahan was the only Mughal empress
whose name was imprinted on royal receipts and silver coins were stamped as “in the
name of the Queen Begam, Noor Jahan". She died in captivity and was buried in a tomb
constructed by herself (Latif, Lahore: Its History, Architectural Remains and Antiquities,
2005).

Existing Conditions

The actual location of the Shahdara complex was on an agricultural site

alongside the Ravi River and at a certain distance from the notable city of Lahore and its
Fort. The existing surrounding of the Shahdara tombs has changed to a great extent. It
can only be described as built-up, compact, profoundly inhabited, and contaminated.
Briefly, it can be described as:

North: a road named AsharatRasulShahid Road which goes towards the east-
west separating the complex from densely populated residential areas mixed with the
commercial area and small industrial structures such as Qazi Park and
Shahdaratown.South: there is semi-agricultural land with residences and associated
arrangements towards the eastern portion to the south.

East: the flood plain of the Ravi River is at the east of Jahangir‘s Tomb with some
structure. A famous road called bund road on the east goes along the boundary of the site
which is about 35 meters in length.

West: a housing colony known as Jahangir’s Colony is at the western edge of

Jahangir‘s Tomb.A Railway line is outside this colony. There is an access road to the west.
Within 2 meters of the same corner, there is an underpass known asShahdara Town
Underpass Road.

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Shahdara
Forest
Residential
and Small
Scale
Industries
Flood plain
Cemetery
Railway
Grid
station

Figure 7 Existing surrounding of the Site Source

Flooding Impact on the Tombs

The location of the Tombs of Shahdara complex is only about ½ km from the
River Ravi and has been flooded at several intervals. Floods hit the complex in 1947, 1950,
1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1966, 1973, 1976, and 1988 shown by the record (Figure
8 & 9). The gardens were filled with flood water at a depth of up to 10 feet for about five
days lately in 1988. Major loss had been found in the southeast corner of the site as most
of the walls and garden landscapes have been eroded. King Aurangzeb made a Bund
Wall of 3 miles (Latif, Tareekh-e-Punjab, 1994) after the 1661 flood in River Ravi which
endangered the near vicinity of River Ravi. One of the core issues at the site of Noor
Jahan‘s Tomb is Drainage. Even one rainy day can cause water to sit in huge parts.

Figure 8 View of Jahangir’s Tomb during the flood of 1988 (Aijazuddin, 2003)

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Figure 9 Map of 1867 showing damage done to Jahangir’s Tomb by flood in

River Ravi (Aijazuddin, 2003)
Current Use and Management of Tombs

Dilkusha garden with the royal tombs of Emperor Jahangir, his wife, and his
brother-in-law is being used for tourism purposes. Visitors come to the complex and
enjoy the open green spaces and relax under the shady trees with the fragrance of
seasonal flowers regularly in the evenings of the summer season and in the daytime of
the winter season. The most populous is the Jahangir tomb and the tomb of Empress
Noor Jahan and her brother Asif Khan are two neglected corners of the tomb complex.
The custody of the tomb complex is with the Department of Archaeology and Museums
which is organizing, monitoring, and maintaining the site.

Conservation works are the liability of the project for the Preservation and
Restoration of Shahdara Complex of Monuments (PROSCOM) conceded under the
federal Government funded Master Plan for PROSCOM.

The complex is approached by the Grand Trunk Road (G.T. Road), the major
route running between Islamabad and Lahore, and the Mughal route between Kabul and
Delhi. Old Ravi Bridge Road from the G.T. Road leads through local districts to Jahangir
Tomb Road. The alternating road is further north via Shahdara Town Underpass road
which links Jahangir Tomb Road at the doorway to the complex.

As stated previously very few tombs were constructed in the Mughal period.
Shahjahan had a fine insight into the arts. Shahdara Mughal Tombs complex is amongst
those few tombs constructed in the Shahjahan period. There are few Mughal Tombs that
are still stable and structurally strong. All these factors enhanced the historic value of the
tombs and demand appropriate maintenance and management plan in order to reclaim
significant importance historically. Let the people comprehend the historical value of this
cultural heritage. Recreational spaces can be supplementary in this environment to draw
the attention of the people. Parts of the monument can be changed into some other utility
that will bring consciousness to the public. Appropriate signage is necessary on Grand
Trunk Road for the public to visit this complex.

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Environmental Factors Affecting Tombs

There are the issues gravely distressing the Royal Tombs:

 Infrastructure is inadequately planned and fused with monuments (Figure 10).

 The selected settlement joins the model site for a dissertation which is a blend of
origins such as combined living of urban, suburban, and rural.

 The site is encroached by the neighboring residences up to the condition that the walls
of the tombs are being shared by the neighboring community.

 Religious sites such as mosques, shrines with mosques and without mosques, shrines
with dispensaries and without dispensaries, and graveyards should be dealt with
carefully as people have religious believers and are spiritually attached to the saints.

Figure 10 Electrical Infrastructure which is glued and overshadowing

Shahdara Monuments. Source Author

Laws & Policies

The royal tombs at Shahdara are being protected under the umbrella of laws at
the federal and provincial levels. The legislation supports the protection of the complex
with the support of other related departments with their policies regarding the
environment, antiquities, historical heritage, and land usage. The list has been provided
in the following table.

Table 1
List of Laws for Heritage Protection
Sr.# Legislation ( Laws) Year
01 Land Acquisition Act, 1894
02 Antiquity Act, 1975
0. Punjab Special Premises (Preservation) Ordinance, 1985
04 National Conservation Strategy(NCS), 1991
05 Guidelines for Sensitive and Critical Areas, 1997

Discussions and Results

Urban expansion should be planned with premeditated interventions. A
structure of similar policies should be planned in order to equip the issues related to
urban development, land distribution, and motorization. Royal Tombs of Shahdara are

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performing as a lacuna in the metropolitan land use of Shahdara. The followings are the
planned interventions and policies which can be selected:

 Strategies can be developed with the provision of enhanced urban environmental

setting which is comprised of streetscape developments, improved segregated
pedestrian and vehicular patterns, suggested transit upgradation, and underground
utility infrastructure lines. Restrictions for building height and terminology for
façades of residences can be identified and described in the policy.

 Legislation can be specified regarding the spaces in between the buildings as

breathing spaces in the form of paved areas, covered sewage, and underground
electric systems with no vehicular movement in the selected zone.

 The most significant apprehension, the complex of Royal Tombs is facing, these days
is the splitting up and disintegration of urban growth, road transportation, and
railway lines. A degree of fusion can be obtained by the introduction of pathways and
various internal corridors which links Asif Jahan’s tomb to the lonely Noor Jahan’s
tomb.

 There is a sports complex in the close vicinity of the tomb of Noor Jahan along the
railway line which can also be added to the selected area of study for recreational
activities. Currently, it is under the custody of a nearby community.

 Underpass bridges can be developed for the railway track crossing the tomb in the
middle of monuments.

 The road surrounding the monuments can serve as a breathing space to identify the
historic site as the road must be operational and dynamic. The tourism department
can help to populate the area through bus routes to visit the area.

 Shahdara Tomb complex is facing infrastructure issues that should be addressed on a

priority basis. There is a need to pave the street network along with shifting of electric
power lines underground.

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