JASWANT SINGH GANDAM / RAMAN NEHRA
India Post News Serice
PHAGWARA/SULTANPUR LODHI: To mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh dedicated a slew of projects in Sultanpur Lodhi worth around Rs 96 crore to the people of Punjab.
Digitally inaugurating these projects at a public gathering, Amarinder Singh termed them as a humble contribution of his Government to commemorate the 550th Prakash Purb celebrations of the first Sikh Guru at Sultanpur Lodhi, where he spent over 18 years of his life and attained enlightenment.
These projects would further ensure the holistic development of the holy city, besides facilitating millions of devotees expected to arrive from across the globe to pay their obeisance on this sacred occasion, said the Chief Minister, who also reviewed the arrangements for the mega celebrations scheduled at Sultanpur Lodhi on the historic occasion.
Addressing the gathering, Amarinder Singh recalled that his father had organized a mega eye check-up camp in the memory of the first Sikh guru 50 years ago, and now he was personally blessed to commemorate such a momentous event. He said that Sikhism, which was born a few centuries ago, had made unprecedented contribution in different fields across the globe.
The Chief Minister called upon the people to light a lamp at their homes in the evening as a humble tribute to Guru Nanak Dev whose 550th Prakash Purb’s main event would be held at Sultanpur Lodhi November 12.
Among the projects launched were three high-level bridges, constructed over Holy Kali Bein at a cost of Rs. 9.30 crore, as well as six roads repaired and widened at a cost of Rs. 30.72 crore. Special repair of 13 roads leading to Sultanpur Lodhi has also been completed at a cost of Rs. 31.30 crore to ensure smooth flow of traffic, especially during the mega event.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated two foot overbridges for devotees across the holy Kali Bein at a cost of Rs. 1.38 crore, besides dedicating two pontoon bridges constructed over holy Kali Bein at a cost of Rs 2 crore for providing passage to VVIPs without obstructing the movement of pilgrims. A state-of-the-art rest house has also been constructed at a cost of Rs 2.39 crore.
With a view to facilitating devotees to take a dip in the holy Kali Bein, the state government has already completed the work of lining, cleaning and fencing of the Bein, besides strengthening its left and right banks by providing boulder stone pitching at a cost of Rs 10.81 crore.
Amarinder Singh further inaugurated the Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Bio Diversity Park and a conservation forest set up at Bir Shikargah on Kanjli Road Kapurthala at a cost of Rs 2.59 crore.
In order to meet the immediate and projected power supply demand during the mega event, the Chief Minister also dedicated a first-of-its-kind underground cable-fed 66 KV sub-station in Sultanpur Lodhi at a cost of Rs 11 crore. An upgraded bus stand constructed at a cost of Rs 5.97 crore was also inaugurated by him.
Earlier, during the review of the arrangements, the Chief Minister was informed that three tented cities had been set up at a cost of Rs 53 crore to accommodate the over 35,000 pilgrims expected to visit Sultanpur Lodhi during the celebrations. The Chief Minister also took stock of the work at 18 parking sites being set up on 542 acres of land and arrangements of public utilities in the holy city.
The Chief Minister directed the state transport department to ensure plying of special buses within the state to facilitate devotees, and also asked them to provide free services of intra-city mini buses and e-rickshaws.
The projects inaugurated were in addition to some other major projects already completed by the state government, namely the Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Centre for Invention, Innovation, Incubation & Training (CIIIT) at a cost of Rs 319 crore, as well as the Bebe Nanki University College for Girls and Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Auditorium, constructed at a cost of Rs 20 crore.
The state government is spending Rs 235 crore on infrastructural work and Rs 480 crore more for setting up of Institute of Inter-Faith Studies and Rs 300 crore for Pind Babe Nanak Da, as part of the development of the region for the historic celebrations.
MLA of Sultanpur Lodh, Navtej Singh Cheema, in an address, said that the previous governments ignored the holy city of Sultanpur Lodhi, which had witnessed unprecedented development in a short span of time under the able leadership of Amarinder Singh.
Member of Parliament Jasbir Singh Gill accused the previous SAD-BJP government of destroying all sectors in the state, including farming, industry etc, during their decade-long regime.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, PWD Minister Vijay Inder Singla, CM’s Media Advisor Raveen Thukral, DGP Dinkar Gupta , Principal Secretary of Tourism Vikas Partap , Principal Secretary of PWD Husan Lal, Principal Secretary to CM Tejbir Singh, Secretary of Water Supply and Sanitation Jaspreet Talwar, Divisional Commissioner B. Purushartha and OSD to CM Gurpreet Singh Sonu Dhesi.
