A 19th-century water tank, located on the iconic Water Works Road near Ghanta Ghar, Multan, is being considered for transformation into a rooftop restaurant as
part of efforts to preserve and repurpose the city’s heritage.
Assistant Director of the Walled City Project, Multan, Umair Ghazanfar, confirmed conservation work was currently underway and expected to be completed within
four months. The massive iron tank, standing on sturdy steel columns and long visible to generations of Multanis, has long been a landmark of the area. Constructed during the British era, the tank dates back to 1888, the year when Multan was granted the status of a Town Committee under British rule. Measuring approximately 70 feet in length and 45 feet in width, the tank was capable of storing around 400,000 gallons of water.
Despite its imposing above-ground structure, nearly 75 percent of its height lies below the surface, highlighting the depth and strength of its foundation, said the walled city guide Amir Bashir.
Similarly, Umair Ghazanfar shared that extensive structural repairs were being undertaken. Where the iron has rusted away, new plates will be installed. We are working on two proposals, one is to convert it into a rooftop restaurant, and the other is to allow visitors access to the top, similar to how Damdama has been made accessible to tourists, he explained.
However, the priority is to develop it into a rooftop restaurant, which would offer a unique blend of heritage and modern experience, he stated. Over the decades, the tank fell out of use. In 2012, Deputy Commissioner Naseem Sadiq attempted to repurpose the structure to supply water to fire brigade vehicles. However, due to significant leakage, the plan was abandoned after the water flooded the adjacent road and caused structural damage, added Amir Bashir.
He further remarked Growing up, I always saw this tank but never knew when or why it was built. It turns out this was a marvel of its time, with motors to pump water into its belly. One of those motors still exists today. Now, the tank holds no water, but only memories. The effort to preserve this forgotten engineering feat represents a growing recognition of Multan’s layered urban history. If turned into a rooftop restaurant, the site may once again serve the public, this time, not with water, but with a taste of history, Amir Bashir added.
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