Lahore:
In response to the growing risk of structural failures during the current monsoon season – and after the recent deadly sindh collapses which won dozens of lives – the authorities in Punjab have launched a complete investigation to identify and secure dangerous buildings in the historic chance city of Lahore.
The authority of the fortified city of Lahore (WCLA) launched the effort as part of its annual monsoon campaign, but this year’s operation has an increased emergency. The persistent rains, associated with aging infrastructure and urban encroaching, have increased the risk of structural failure in the provincial capital. To a parallel measure, the administration of the Lahore district recently sealed nearly two dozen dangerous buildings throughout the city due to stability problems.
Directed by the Director General of WCLA, Maleeha Rashid, the authority inspection teams began detailed assessments of buildings through Androon Lahore – where many properties, some dating from centuries, now show signs of severe negligence, unauthorized changes and structural fatigue.
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“The cultural heritage of Androon Lahore is not only a reflection of our past – it is a living heritage which defines our national identity,” said Rashid in a press release. “Preserving it is not only a responsibility, but a commitment to future generations.”
To conduct the survey, WCLA uses a hybrid approach that mixes physical inspections in the field with digital mapping tools. This allows managers to effectively assess structural vulnerabilities and report buildings to an immediate risk of collapse. Oppositely identification, according to the authorities, is essential to avoid avoidable damage and loss of life.
In support of the initiative, the WCLA has also created a supervisory committee to enforce heritage and construction regulations. The team – the assistant director compatible Noseen Zaidi, the resettlement expert Ali Islam Gill and the deputy director Ahmad Usman Diwan – were responsible for repressing illegal construction, unauthorized demolitions, excavations in unprecedented basement and other violations in protected areas.
Once the dangerous structures have been identified, the authority plans to pursue specific strategies to the site, ranging from targeted rehabilitation and from restoration to controlled demolition, if necessary. The survey results will serve as the basis for these interventions and to future planning.
According to WCLA figures for 2024, nearly 1,300 buildings in the fortified city have been identified as needing significant repair, with 400 listed for demolition and at least 20 classified as extremely dangerous. Despite opinions and warnings, many of these private buildings remain occupied due to a lack of resources, resettlement or public awareness options.
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The threat extends beyond the limits of the fortified city. A recent district survey highlighted 96 dilapidated buildings dangerously through Lahore, the Ganj Bakhsh area representing more than 42 of them. High density areas such as Fleming Road, Ravi Road, Mochi Gate and Garhi Shahu are particularly at risk. In some cases, only partial demolitions have occurred, leaving unstable parts still inhabited.
While the authorities continue to issue evacuation opinions, many residents remain in place, citing financial constraints and the absence of official resettlement programs. Officials warn that with forecasts for prediction above the average for the current season, delays in action could prove to be catastrophic.
The growing risks strengthen the importance of the continuous efforts of WCLA – not as a conservation initiative, but as a critical public security operation. Experts warn that without urgent and coordinated government support and a timely restoration, Lahore faces the double threat of human tragedy and irreversible cultural loss.
