Several major roads in Lahore do not have any official renaming record in municipal archives, while no formal heritage documentation has been legally notified for many names currently in public use, according to discussions held at a session of the Lahore Heritage Areas Revival.
The session brought together architects, historians, journalists, urban planners, and government officials to discuss the cultural, historical, and civic significance of restoring Lahore’s traditional nomenclature as part of a wider effort to preserve the city’s heritage and identity.
Participants said the issue has exposed gaps in the official documentation of Lahore’s road naming history, raising questions about how a number of names came into use without formal legal approval or archival notification.
According to the Deputy Commissioner Lahore, records of the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore do not contain any official archival notification confirming the renaming of around 21 major roads, 18 traditional streets, and 11 chowks and localities.
Among the roads discussed were Abbot Road, Beadon Road, Brandreth Road, Charing Cross, Cooper Road, Durand Road, Egerton Road, Empress Road, Fane Road, Ferozepur Road, Hall Road, Jail Road, Lawrence Road, Mcleod Road, Maclagan Road, The Mall, Nabha Road, Nicholson Road, Queen’s Road, Race Course Road, and Temple Road, all of which were said to have proposed or commonly used alternative names that were never formally approved.
Officials said only the renaming of Nicholson Road to Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan Road, later designated under the Roads and Streets Rules 1981, appears to have been formally documented and notified.
The forum was told that most road names currently used across Lahore evolved through public usage, historical references, old maps, and signboards rather than through a uniform legal process.
Participants also pointed to visible inconsistencies on the ground, with some roads carrying dual signboards showing different names, while several others continue to display pre-Partition names alongside newer or unofficial alternatives.
Jail Road and Ghaus-ul-Azam Road, as well as Queen’s Road and Shahrah-e-Fatima Jinnah, were cited as examples where different signboards appear at separate points along the same road. Signboards on the remaining roads discussed still display the older names.
The meeting also noted that digital mapping platforms continue to use the old names for all 21 roads, further highlighting the gap between public usage and official notification.
Speakers said some of the proposed names are intended to restore pre-Partition or historically significant identities, but stressed that none of these changes can carry legal status without proper notification, documentation, and public consultation.
They said Lahore’s road names reflect a layered cultural and historical legacy, but any renaming exercise must be supported by a clear and standardized official record.
The issue, participants noted, has raised broader questions about whether Lahore has an accurate and consistent archival system for decades of informal or semi-formal naming practices.
The meeting concluded with a consensus that Lahore’s historic identity is an important legacy that should be preserved thoughtfully for future generations.
