RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has planned to restore the original structure of the century-old Odeon Cinema on The Mall besides adding modern facilities in it.

In this regard, Lansdowne Trust has sought the help of an architectural firm which may design and renovate the cinema to its original shape dating back to 1910.

Sources told Dawn that Military Lands and Cantonments Regional Director Fahim Zafar approved the project to initiate the process through the Lansdowne Trust to convert the cinema building into a mini-theatre, food court and sports hall.

The regional director visited the site and inspected the condition of the cinema house as well as a junkyard set up in the rear of the building which will also be used for the project.

The open space located in the back of the building needs to be designed as a lawn and a restaurant as well as children’s playing area.

Plan to pull down century-old building in 2013 failed due to criticism from heritage lovers

The total land of the trust is 5.44 acres abutting The Mall. As many as 1.11 acres under the management of the RCB is also scattered around the trust.

The cinema, a library and a park belonging to the Lansdowne Trust was established by Sardar Kirpal Singh Rai Bahadur and his brother Sardar Sujan Singh Rai Bahadur with an aim to provide educational and recreational facilities to the residents of the cantonment on Dec 5, 1881.

The trust was named after Lord Henry Petty Fitzmaurice, V. Marquees of Lansdowne, the viceroy and governor general of India from 1884 to 1894.

According to the transfer deed between English officers and the two brothers, “We Sardar Kirpal Singh Rai Bahadur and Sardar Sujan Singh Rai Bahadur having at our own cost built the building known as Lansdowne Institute at The Mall on ground for the purpose by the cantonment committee Rawalpindi have now the pleasure of formally transferring the said institute to the public on the condition that it be open to all persons European and natives alike conditional on conformity to rules of management and payment of subscription. The institute will be used as a place of entertainment and instructions.”

The original building of the institute was converted into a cinema house by the trustee in 1912. The cinema got burnt in 1946 and remained in that state till 1949. The restored building of the cinema was christened as Odeon Cinema during the sixties by the then tenant.

After this, the building was used as cinema and library till 2013. The Shah Baloot Park has also historical significant as the two Sikh brothers arranged parties for the English officers at the northern post.

The offices of RCB are housed in the building for which it is paying Rs100,000 annual rent to the Lansdowne Trust Library commonly known as Cantonment Library.

The cinema was closed for the public in 2008 on the directives of then station commander Brig Sajjad Azam as the leaseholder was not giving the annual rent of the cinema.

During the last 11 years, the RCB did not give the cinema on contract to other parties. Now, the sources said, the RCB was facing losses to keep the building. At present, the RCB has allowed stamp vendors and typists to doing their business on the premises of the cinema

In 2013, the RCB planned to pull down the cinema house but failed to do so due to criticism from heritage lovers in the city. After this, the RCB has now decided to reconstruct the cinema house.

When contacted, former federal minister Raja Shahid Zafar, who is member of the Lansdowne Trust, told Dawn that the trust was working on restoration of the old heritage.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2019