Mcleod Road Lahore Shops

[Kimbery Challacombe]

Thehouse, a pre-Partition structure which he inherited from my Nana along with his six siblings, including my mother, had stood on McLeod Road, right on top of where the new Orange Line train rolls through today. It was demolished in 2017 to widen the road for the new public transportation system.

McLeod Road in Lahore, once a top-notch office furniture market with housing above shops and dozens of old buildings constructed before 1947, now runs along the route of the 27km Ali Town-to-Dera Gujran train line.

A lack of transport infrastructure has been a constraining factor in the economic development of Pakistan. The Orange Line, with its set of 27 trains, is one of the first modern mass transit systems in the country, aimed at addressing this issue.

Instead, road networks and motorways became the new symbols of progress, and the number of vehicles on the roads steadily rose. In 1980, the total number of vehicles registered in Lahore was 70,342, rising to more than 1.16 million in 2005, and growing by more than 100 vehicles a day.

The new Orange Line, which connects Dera Gujran in the east of Lahore to Ali Town in the western outskirts, has been built as part of the China Belt and Road initiative (BRI) and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Both projects are efforts to reinvigorate infrastructure in Pakistan, which is considered a strong market for Chinese trade, connecting large markets and production centres.

Such has been the general approval surrounding the launch of the Orange Line train, Pakistan Railways now also hopes to get the Karachi Circular Railway back on track, after 21 years of disuse, by the end of this year.

But while the 300bn rupees ($1.8bn) train line is expected to save ordinary people more than 60 billion rupees ($377m) a year in travelling costs, local communities and owners of businesses living and working alongside the route say the cost to them could be just as high.

Under a British colonial-era law, the Land Acquisition Act of 1894, the Pakistani government has the right to acquire private property for public purposes in exchange for paying compensation to those whose land is needed.

After the bulldozers left, all that remained of the family home on McLeod Road was a 9 square metres (100sq foot) area of land. But Zahid says there is not enough money or space to rebuild his broken life on that.

After a short ride by Uber taxi from Gulshan Ravi train station, past the four-pillar Mughal-era monument, Chauburji, through the historic old Anarkali bazaar and alongside the colonial architecture of the General Post Office, we arrive at McLeod Road, a commercial area which now lines up alongside the tunnel through which the train track runs. The next station on from here is Lakshmi Chowk, further to the east.

We see, on the left side of the tunnel, the slightly hilly path that leads to the site of the old house. It reminds me of the days, 20 years ago, when my uncle would ride his blue Vespa scooter down this hill.

Stepping over the debris of what was once my childhood home, I hold back tears. Only half of the long staircase, which once led to the rooftop where I played in the rain and from which I flew kites, remains. The strongest side pillars are still intact, surrounded by rubble.

Tahir Javed Rathor, 45, sells and repairs all kinds of LED TVs here. He has been commuting here every day ever since he opened his business more than 20 years ago and now uses the train, getting on at Thokar Niaz Baig station close to his home in southeast Lahore. He is delighted that his commute time has been cut dramatically from more than an hour each way before the train line opened to just 20 minutes.

Despite the pandemic and social distancing advice issued by the government, large numbers of people are still cramming on to the train, eager and excited to experience it. Wearing a face mask is mandatory, but there is no social distancing to speak of on board.

Many of those already using the train are lower-middle-class workers, who live and work in different parts of Lahore and find it a cheaper and faster alternative to commute from one end of the city to the other in just 45 minutes. Others use the train for pleasure.

With two stations underground and others built on an elevated structure, above street level, passengers enjoy plenty of aerial views of the capital of Punjab province and its nearby heritage sites. The royal dimensions of the 16th-century Shalamar Gardens become clear from the new vantage point offered by the passing train.

Amna Khalid, 22, has got on the train at the Mehmood Boti station at Darogha Wal in east Lahore to travel to the last station at Ali Town and then back again. Like lots of passengers, she is just taking the journey for fun. Amna is a writer and was one of the first to use the service to make a video review of it for her YouTube channel which has thousands of subscribers.

Another passenger, Malik Nazir Ahmed, 65, a retired section officer at the Punjab Civil Secretariat and a resident of Allama Iqbal Town in southwest Lahore, worries the electric train could increase the incidences of power cuts in his area.

Although the country does now have a surplus of electricity and power cuts are not as frequent as they once were, they do still occur, particularly in the hot summer months when more power is needed for air conditioning units, fans and refrigeration.

McLeod Road, called after Sir Donald Friell McLeod, a British colonial administrator, also originates in the British Raj. Of particular interest is Sir Donald McLeod, who was the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab from 1865 to 1870 and who was a mastermind behind the development of administrative and infrastructural facilities in the region.

He made significant contributions to the development of Punjab, and the naming of the McLeod Road was one of his achievements. In the British colonial phase, McLeod Road symbolized civil operations and physical planning typical of the British colonization of India. The road is laid to experience simple and efficient overtones of city administrative facilities and communication networks.

They were arranged to provide a channel for governmental activities, interconnecting most administrative structures and business terminals. In the years that have passed, the place now known as McLeod Road has undergone a significant change.

There remains a lot of construction from the British era, and most have a unique blend of colonial and local architecture. The structures mentioned earlier provide a view of the preferred styles of architecture at that specific period and certainly contribute to the historical motif of the road.

McLeod Road is a central road in Lahore city, and many important places and landmarks are situated adjacent to or near the road. These nearby attractions can, therefore, be fascinating to tourists, residents, and even businesspeople, whether they want to explore history, shop, or dine.

Situated on The Mall Road, near McLeod Road, the Lahore Museum is home to exquisite art and historic items. The museum was founded in 1865, and since then, it has exhibited an extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, coins, and manuscripts.

The Mall, one of the most extensive roads crossing McLeod Road, has elegant colonial structures and many vital establishments. Some destinations on The Mall are the Governor House, Punjab University Old Campus, and the High Court. Lahore, in particular, was a vital colony during British reigns, and this route gives a picture of colonial architectural beauty.

Just a few minutes of drive from McLeod Road, Liberty Market is one of the busiest markets in Lahore. The various specialties, clothes, accessories, electronics, and gifts are bought from high-end outlets and small-scale traders within the market. This is conveniently located for shopping devotees seeking many opportunities.

For the foodies, there is a place nearer to Gawalmandi known as Food Street that cannot be skipped. Famous for its foods and diverse, tasty Pakistani cuisines, the area has numerous street foods they serve to the people. Be it the spicy kebab the sweet jalebi, or the yogurt, the food offered here will please the gourmet in you.

One of the significant landmarks that hail the freedom of Pakistan is the Minar-e-Pakistan in Iqbal Park, some 300 meters away from McLeod Road. It has stood erect to symbolize the Lahore Resolution of 1940. The park that encircles the facility is also another attraction ground for families and tourists.

Adjacent to it, if you are planning a family outing, the whereabouts of Lahore Zoo may be considered since it is one of the oldest zoos in the country. It houses various animals and serves the purposes of education and recreation for children and adults.

Fortress Stadium is one of the best-known entertainment and shopping malls close to McLeod Road. It contains places like Joyland, an amusement park, and Hyperstar. Now, Carrefour is a supermarket with restaurants, shops, and more. It is an active area for shopping, grabbing a bite, and spending leisure time.

The National College of Arts acknowledged as NCA was established in 1982 after transforming from the erstwhile Punjab College of Arts. National College of Arts, situated near McLeod Road, is one of the well-known art colleges in Pakistan. The college often organizes art exhibitions, stage plays, competitions, and other programs, which are usually participated in by students and faculty, and these performances help add flavor to the scenic city of Lahore.

Nevertheless, McLeod Road symbolizes commercial success, but it has some problems. Some of the problems include traffic congestion, lack of enough parking space, and development of structures on corridor right-of-way. The local administration has launched various efforts to sort out these issues, such as road widening tenders and efficient traffic control signals.

Changes are also being made to modernize the social facilities and physical appearance of McLeod Road. The widening of acoustics, street lighting, provision of pedestrian facilities, and development of beautification projects should improve the road to become more welcoming to visitors.

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