Model Town Lahore A Modern Society Established within the Ancient Forest of Lahore (Episode 7)

The acquisition of land for the Model Town Society was one of the most remarkable and spirited chapters in its early history. Dewan Khem Chand and his associates undertook this task with exceptional resolve and meticulous planning. They spent days exploring the rural outskirts of Lahore, including the villages of Sattu Katal, Kala Khatri, and Choprah, meeting landowners and cultivators and negotiating purchase agreements. Yet the search for the right tract of land remained unresolved.

One day, while surveying the forested region of Rakh Kot Lakhpat, Dewan Khem Chand and his companions found themselves captivated by its natural beauty and tranquil air. They stood silently among the trees, feeling as though the vision of a residential settlement that had lived in their minds for years had suddenly taken form before their eyes.

The tall banyan, shisham, mulberry, and berry trees, with their wide branches stretching outward, seemed to welcome them. The forest appeared to speak in a quiet voice, as if the land itself were saying, “This is the place you have long been searching for.” At that moment, Dewan Khem Chand resolved that the new township would be founded here.

Historically, this area was recorded as Rakh Kot Lakhpat, classified as government forest land or Rakh Land. In the administrative terminology of British Punjab, the term “Rakh” referred to land owned by the government, covered with trees or natural vegetation, and managed jointly by the Forest and Revenue Departments. Such lands were used either as grazing reserves or as sources of timber and fuel.

The region of Rakh Kot Lakhpat lay within the jurisdiction of Lahore Tehsil and was listed among the Forest and Waste Lands of Lahore District. On official colonial maps, it was identified as a Wooded Tract.

According to historical tradition, during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh between 1810 and 1830, this forest served as one of the Maharaja’s hunting grounds. The Lahore court historian Lala Sohan Lal Suri described in his Persian chronicle Umdat ut Tawarikh the political, social, and military affairs of the Sikh court. These records were later edited and published by Dr Sita Ram Kohli under the title Khalsa Darbar Records.

Among these court documents appears a note that Maharaja Ranjit Singh regarded the forests beyond Achhra as the natural defence of Lahore, declaring, “These are ancient and sacred trees; they provide us with pure air.”

The British historian Ian Talbot and Pakistani scholar Dr Tahir Kamran, in their joint study Colonial Lahore A History of the City and Beyond, write:

“Rabbits, jackals and deer initially shared the 2,000 acre tract of forest at Rakh Kot Lakhpat.”

At that time, the area extended over nearly two thousand acres of dense woodland, inhabited by rabbits, jackals, and deer. It played a vital role in maintaining the city’s climate, acting as a green barrier around Lahore and serving as a refuge for wildlife.

Dewan Khem Chand and his associates were deeply impressed by the landscape of Rakh Kot Lakhpat. It resembled the kind of land envisioned in Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City Movement, where nature and human habitation could exist in harmony. Yet Khem Chand was aware that obtaining this site would be difficult, for it held historical significance and environmental importance. Moreover, it was classified as Crown Land under the jurisdiction of the Punjab Government, making its acquisition legally complex.

Khem Chand therefore turned to his close associate and fellow member of the Society, Sir Ganga Ram. At that time, Sir Ganga Ram was already known as the architect of Lahore’s modern development, a distinguished engineer, and a visionary urban planner. He had also been elected the first President of the newly formed Model Town Co operative Society.

Sir Ganga Ram submitted a formal petition to the Government of Punjab requesting that the Rakh Kot Lakhpat land be leased or sold to the Society for the establishment of a planned and modern residential colony. The Forest Department, however, strongly opposed the proposal, arguing that the land constituted an important ecological asset and should remain preserved as natural woodland.

For nearly two years, debate continued among various departments. The Forest Department objected on ecological grounds, the Revenue Department declared the land to be Crown Property, and the Public Works and Local Government Departments considered it unsuitable for urban development. Despite this resistance, Sir Ganga Ram and Dewan Khem Chand presented detailed plans, maps, and written arguments to demonstrate that the proposed colony could become Lahore’s first planned residential model. They also assured the British administration in writing that if the land were allotted to the Society, more than half of the centuries-old trees across the tract would be preserved to maintain the natural environment and greenery.

Owing to inter departmental disagreements and legal intricacies, the matter remained under discussion for two years. Finally, Dewan Khem Chand and Sir Ganga Ram submitted a memorandum directly to the Governor of Punjab, Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan. In it, they outlined the objectives of the Society, the welfare nature of the project, and its guarantee of forest conservation. The matter then came under the Governor’s formal consideration.

To be continued in the next episode.

(This article is excerpted from my forthcoming book

The Birth of Model Town in Colonial Lahore (“برطانوی لاہور میں ماڈل ٹاؤن کا جنم”).

The book will soon be available through the Real Estate Think Tank and the web portal SyedShayan.com. A comprehensive documentary on the same subject is also in its final stage of production. Individuals or institutions wishing to share historical documents, research material, or photographic records are most welcome to contribute. Such material will be invaluable for scholarly reference and historical authenticity. Current or former residents of Model Town who wish to share their memories, photographs, or reflections for this historical book or documentary may contact

mail@syedshayan.com

Facebook.com/SyedShayanOfficial

Syed Shayan )