The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) suspended the entire project team—including the Project Director, Deputy Director, Assistant Director, and all engineers—following the tragic death of a mother and her daughter who fell into an open manhole at Bhatti Chowk on 29 January 2026. The LDA Director General issued show-cause notices to the contractor and private execution firm and launched legal and departmental inquiries. Construction of the underpass had officially begun in mid-April 2026, as part of a broader redevelopment initiative to enhance visitor comfort and traffic flow while preserving heritage.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz publicly reprimanded Lahore’s top bureaucracy—including the Lahore Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, and heads of LDA and WASA—for criminal negligence following the fatal manhole incident at the under-construction Data Darbar extension site. She declared she would not spare those involved and demanded punishment, though she stopped short of ordering suspensions. She also expressed fury at police and information officials who misled her and the media about the incident.

The Data Darbar redevelopment—led by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and TEPA—includes comprehensive upgrades such as new seating areas, pedestrian zones, green landscapes, wider roads, and organized parking. The vision is to reimagine Lahore’s spiritual heart as a modern urban space where tradition, spirituality, and innovation converge, extending from Data Darbar to Bhatti Gate and incorporating the Lower Mall, Mohni Road, and Bhatti Chowk.

Data Darbar remains a living heritage site with an estimated 30,000–60,000 daily visitors, significantly increasing on Thursdays and during Urs. Its langar serves thousands free meals day and night, and many pilgrims rest or sleep within the complex—a centuries-old Sufi ethic of service that continues to thrive alongside ongoing restoration and expansion efforts.