400-year-old tunnel discovered in Shahi Qila

The most opulently designed Mughal architecture around the globe, Lahore Fort contains 21 notable monuments, some of which date to the era of Emperor Akbar.

In a shocking turn of events, a 400-year-old tunnel has been discovered during restoration work at the Fort.

Despite being buried in the heart of Lahore, this tunnel is still firmly in place. Well ventilated and lighted, the tunnel consists of niches that have been made for lighting the lamps.

The most picturesque regions in Lahore has multiple hidden passages but the recent discovery was used as drainage and secret passage.

Buried in the heart of Lahore, the walls of this tunnel are firmly in place. Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA) Sub-engineer Hafiz Umran who was working on the project explained that a while ago when the rehabilitation and renovation work of Moti Masjid and Maktab Khana was started traces of the tunnel were found during excavation.

The 625-foot-long tunnel had been repaired to enable drainage and rainwater to flow out of the ancient tunnel. The water collected in the fort during the rainy season used to accumulate in the tunnels, which had damaged various parts of the fort.

While modern machinery and equipment are used for the restoration of historical monuments, but the team have done it successfully in the traditional fashion.

“Snakes and scorpions were also found during the excavation. We are happy that the tunnel is functional,” they added.

Archaeology experts added that the fort had seven layers that emphasise the fact that it was demolished and rebuilt seven times.