Where Did the 500 Acres of Model Town Land Go (Episode 5)

Between 1921 and 1924, the land for Model Town Lahore was acquired in successive phases. The process began in 1921, shortly after the establishment of the Model Town Co-operative Housing Society, when the initial committee consisting of Dewan Khem Chand, Sheikh Abdul Qadir, and Mahita Singh initiated the acquisition process. Most of the land was purchased from the villages of Sattu Katal, Kala Khatri, Choprah, and Rera, as well as from the forest area of Rakh Kot Lakhpat. The total area at that time measured approximately 1,963 acres and three kanals. These figures are officially recorded in the Punjab Government Gazette (1924) and the By-laws of the Model Town Co-operative Housing Society, registered under the Registrar Co-operative Societies, Punjab.

In later years, however, various administrative developments gradually reduced its usable area, and the present records show a total of about 1,463 acres. This reduction did not occur through a single event but was the result of several cumulative factors over time.

The central question therefore arises: if the Society originally possessed 1,963 acres and now retains only 1,463, where did the missing 500 acres go? Research on this matter is still in progress, yet early findings and existing evidence point towards several explanations.

1. Variations in Measurement Systems and Units

The land of Model Town was originally measured under the British-era local system using units such as bigha, kanal, marla, and gola. The term gola referred to the area a pair of oxen could plough in a single day. As soil composition varied from one region to another, the actual size of a gola was not fixed but generally equated to between one and one-and-a-half kanals. Similarly, a bigha could represent either four or five kanals depending on local practice. When the government later converted all measurements into acres, rounding differences were likely introduced. For instance, 1,962.7 acres could have been recorded as 1,963, while 1,962.3 acres might have been entered as 1,962. Such rounding and conversion variations could have caused minor discrepancies that gradually affected the overall total.

2. Overlapping Village Boundaries and Boundary Adjustments

Several adjoining villages, such as Sattu Katal and Kala Khatri, or Rera and Rakh Kot Lakhpat, had overlapping boundaries. In some instances, the same strip of land was recorded in both village registers. When boundary corrections were later made, these overlapping tracts were adjusted and deducted. Such corrections, known as overlapping boundaries, could have reduced the recorded acreage of the Society over time.

3. Administrative Changes and Government Acquisition

After 1947, Lahore underwent rapid urban expansion. With the extension of the railway line, the widening of Ferozepur Road, and the development of infrastructure projects under the Lahore Improvement Trust, several peripheral parts of Model Town land likely came under government possession. Portions may have been transferred to the Railway Department, the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), and later to the Lahore Development Authority (LDA). This assumption is supported by Punjab Gazette Notifications issued during the 1960s and 1970s.

4. Internal Allocation and Non-Saleable Land

During the 1950s, the Society’s master plan designated many plots for parks, educational institutions, religious places, and community facilities. These areas remained part of the Society’s total landholding but were not available for sale or private ownership. In subsequent decades, some of these properties were officially handed over to public institutions, such as the Model Town Park, government schools, and the Railway Coaching Centre. Consequently, the area available for residential or commercial purposes decreased.

5. Revisions in Revenue Records and Documentary Accuracy

Between 1924 and 1930, Jamabandi and Misl Haqiat records occasionally showed overlapping entries between Rakh Kot Lakhpat and Sattu Katal. These duplications were rectified in the post-1950 revisions, leading to the removal of several kanals from the total. This documentary correction is likely the principal reason for the numerical decline from 1,963 acres to 1,463 acres in later records.

It is also believed that the extensions of Ferozepur Road and the railway may have absorbed some outer portions of the Society’s land. During the original purchase, a natural drainage channel known as Nala Dei traversed the area, carrying rainwater and irrigation runoff through the fields of Sattu Katal, Kala Khatri, and Rakh Kot Lakhpat towards what is now the Township area. At that time, it was regarded as a beneficial natural feature that would support the fertility and drainage of the Society’s lands. Some tracts may have been intentionally left along this channel for future use. However, with Lahore’s rapid expansion and the development of the sewerage network after 1950, this same channel became a conduit for wastewater. It still exists behind the Arfa Karim Tower and now forms part of WASA’s drainage system, officially known as Drain D.

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 )