Rs 31 million approved for restoration of Shujabad fortification wall

Planning and Development Department Punjab has approved the project for restoration of centuries old fortification wall of Shujabad that will cost Rs 31.16 million. Punjab Archaeology department officials said that final approval of the project has been accorded, however, funds will either be released after elections or in the next fiscal year.
They said that removal of encroachment from the portions of wall was also necessary to execute the project for historical wall's restoration as per its archaic originality.
The fortification wall is rectangular in plan measuring 1270x870 feet with the eastern and western sides measuring 1270 feet long and southern-northern sides, 870 feet each. It has four gates, each in the middle of the wall, including Multani Gate on the north, Mori Gate on the east, Rashid Shah Gate on the south and Chautak Gate on the west. The fortress has four big corners bastions.
Only five bastions, two in hexagonal shape and three in rectangular shape, exist today on the western side while four hexagonal shape bastions on the Northern side, and four more on the southern side.
The height of wall is about 17 feet in slope with marlons on top of the wall and gates.
Nawab Shuja Khan, the second son of Nawab Zahid Khan, twice remained the Governor (Subedar) of Multan under Ahmad Shah Durrani's rule. He founded the Shujabad town in 1750, which is considered to be one of the best examples of towns built on the traditional design principle, enclosed within the fortification wall that is 8 to 14 feet thick and supported by hexagonal and rectangular bastions. He built the fortification wall of Shujaabad between 1767 and 1772. He died in 1775 AD and buried outside the town in a locality known as Basti Khairpur.
Under his able guidance his daughter Khan Bibi built the fort at Khangrah and his son Ghazanffar Khan the fort of Ghazanffargrah.
The wall is undermined at places and badly affected with raising damp due to capillary action. Some parts of the wall are in badly decayed condition and vegetation growth was also found which needs to be removed.
Rashid Shah Gate, presently, in a bad state of conservation, will be restored as per original design and texture but it can only be done after removal of encroachments on its both sides. Encroachments are in shape of double storey buildings having shops on ground floor and residencies on first floor and their removal is necessary to expose the face of the wall, officials said.
A portion of the northern side wall is missing which needs to be reconstructed with special size bricks while decorative motives will also be restored.
The Multani Gate will be restored and damaged wooden gate will be repaired. Toilets were constructed by TMA near it which needs to be removed. Modern brickwork will be removed from the western side.