India, Nov. 2 -- Look at the map of several North Indian cities and you may spot a neighbourhood called Model Town. The name is familiar in places such as Delhi and Ludhiana, where it is associated with established residential colonies. But how did the same name come to be used in different cities? And does it have anything to do with the idea of building a model neighbourhood?

The name Model Town first became associated with a planned neighbourhood in Lahore in the early 20th century. It was meant to offer residents an alternative to the crowded parts of the city.

In 1919, Khem Chand proposed setting up a Model Town on the outskirts of Lahore. The project took shape over the following years, and its first building was inaugurated in 19...