Govt apathetic towards Urban Haat

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 17

Though Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, at a meeting two days ago, reviewed several projects initiated by the previous SAD-BJP government, they did not show interest towards the revival of the Urban Haat project. The Urban Haat, developed by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), wears a desert look after one year of its inauguration.

Last year, Urban Hatt had hosted Amritsar Heritage Festival from May 15 to 20. The fare was inaugurated by the then Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on May 13. The administration has spent about Rs 6 crore on the project, which is a replica of Lahore’s Food Street.

The site was developed by refurbishing the Victoria Jubilee Hospital of the colonial era. The building is on prime location near the Historical Company Bagh, around 1.5 km from Golden Temple.

The efforts of the PUDA authorities to provide space to food joints and other traditional craft bazaars under one umbrella have proved futile in the past. The major food brands don’t want to open their outlet here as they don’t find it viable. The building has 32 halls and 20 kitchens, a gym, spa, food court, craft bazaar and meeting rooms. The rooms as well as the halls are locked. Some music video makers have done shooting in the building in the past.

Most of the food sellers feel that the government did not provide necessary facilities at building. The PUDA has charged heavily to rent the space in the food court. According to information, the government has been planning for private partnership to run the project. Residents want Navjot Singh Sidhu to review the project to restart it.

Varun Kumar, a resident, said, “It is a wastage of public money as the building has been abandoned once again. If big brands don’t want to run their business, small entrepreneurs can be accommodated.”