Admn to look for another site for international trade centre

AMRITSAR: Unsatisfied over the present location of the international trade, exhibition-cum-convention centre at the erstwhile central jail site on the airport road, the district administration has been planning to find another site for the same.

The proposed site for the trade centre in Amritsar. photo: sunil kumar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 20

Unsatisfied over the present location of the international trade, exhibition-cum-convention centre at the erstwhile central jail site on the airport road, the district administration has been planning to find another site for the same.

Deputy Commissioner KS Sangha said the exhibition centre was the top priority of the government and its site would be finalised soon. He said the proposed site for the centre at the abandoned jail would be on about 10 acres of land and 100-feet access road will connect it to the main road. He said he wanted the same on 15 acres of land so the administration would take a relook. He elaborated that a couple of sites were proposed but most of these were yet to be visited and assessed to take a final call.

It may be mentioned that about eight years ago the announcement of setting up of an international trade and exhibition centre to promote indigenous industries in the city was made. The then SAD-BJP government had even made a budgetary announcement to establish a world-class trade centre here in 2013 budget proposals.

As per the plan, an integrated trade centre-cum-commercial-cum-recreational complex at the Central Jail venue, spread over an area of 109 acres, was unveiled. Its building was pulled down and the jail was shifted to Fatahpur village on the city outskirts.

Thousands of tourists visit the city daily but there is no medium to showcase locally manufactured goods such as shawls and brass utensils under one roof. It was a long pending demand of traders in the city to have a world trade centre to promote trade and business, said members of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

Citing the examples of cities like Frankfurt and Dubai thriving only on the basis of being major centres for trade exhibitions, they said the city could carve out a niche for it in this regard.

Looking at the increase in the trade and commerce in the region, the government wanted to set up a permanent convention centre like Pragati Maidan here so that every year temporary arrangements do not have to be made for the trade expos.