Mughalpura Railway Station Missing From Lahore’s Heritage List?

The development of the railway workshops in Mughalpura started in the early 20th century. Carriage, wagon and locomotive workshops began operating around 1910.

By 1908, the Lahore railway workshops had employed around 4,669 people. The railway facilities also led to the development of residential colonies for workers and their families.

Over time, Mughalpura became an important railway and industrial centre. Its workshops, railway tracks, yards, residential areas and other facilities together created a large industrial landscape.

Mughalpura was also connected with the Lahore-Wagah branch railway line and the wider railway network linking Lahore with Amritsar and other parts of the subcontinent.

After the Partition of British India in 1947, the railway system was divided. The Mughalpura workshops became part of Pakistan and continued to play an important role in the country’s early industrial development.

But despite its historical importance, a major question remains: why has Mughalpura not received the same heritage status and attention as many other historic sites in Lahore?

When we talk about Lahore’s heritage, the focus is often on forts, palaces, mosques and other historic buildings. Industrial heritage, however, is also an important part of a city’s history.

Mughalpura’s heritage is not limited to one building. It includes railway workshops, machinery, tracks, yards, workers’ colonies, old records, photographs, maps and the history of the people who worked there.

The biggest challenge may be that Mughalpura is a complete industrial landscape rather than a single historic building. Protecting such a site requires looking at the entire railway complex and its connection with the workers and communities that developed around it.

Experts and heritage supporters believe that Mughalpura could be considered for an industrial heritage zone. A railway museum, archive or heritage trail could also help preserve its history for future generations.

Lahore’s history is not only about rulers, forts and palaces. It is also about workers, engineers, craftsmen, railway drivers and thousands of people who helped build the city’s industrial identity.

Mughalpura is an important part of that history. The question is whether Pakistan’s heritage system is ready to protect this industrial past before more of it disappears.