TRANSFORMATION OF MAIN BOULEVARD, GULBERG, LAHORE: FROM RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL

Abstract

Globally, urban growth rates show no signs of slowing down, due to problems attributed to increasing population members. As a result, cities have changed from small, isolated centers to large, inter-connected economic, physical, and environmental locales. Lahore, once famous for its gardens, is facing the growing problem of urban sprawl, resulting in mushrooming of shopping plazas, traffic congestion, loss of open spaces. The city has become a hot bed of multinational companies, banks, telecommunication companies and international food chains. Huge investments, particularly after 9/11, have targeted Lahore and major roads have become gigantic construction sites. Gulberg, once a high class residential area gave way to rampant commercialization and its Main Boulevard paved the way for offices and plazas. This temporal and spatial dimensions of the land use change from the residential to commercial are little known. The policymakers and public continue to raise concerns about the effects that unchecked transformation of the city landscape will culcated. It is not until we study this metamorphosis from a spatial perspective responding to commercial from residential that have occurred and predict the impacts of changes to come. Without having a clear understanding of these changes, it would be impossible to improve quality of city life. The objective of this research paper is to record these changes for the professionals and policy makers as guidelines. The study of historical perspective and existing information would be beneficial in formulating sound policies for guiding environmentally sustainable growth.