Amritsar to get international cricket stadium after Union Govt approval

Former Punjab BJP president Shwait Malik here on Tuesday said that following his demand, both Union and Punjab Governments had approved the project of setting up an international cricket stadium in the holy city.

He said last week AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who was in Punjab, had announced the sanctioning of the project by the Central Government in Amritsar. Malik had met Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on March 23 with a demand letter to get an international-level modern cricket stadium built in the holy city, with all relevant infrastructure, including international airport and luxury hotels, to host international matches.

Malik, who had been a Mayor of the city, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mandaviya for sanctioning the cricket stadium on the demand of city residents. Malik said that T-20, IPL and other national and international-level cricket matches would be organised in this cricket stadium.

He had also met Union Urban Development Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and demanded Metro rail service for the city to solve the traffic problem, which is still under consideration. He recalled that for the convenience of the city residents, when he was the Mayor and later Rajya Sabha MP, he had got 8 km of elevated road, overbridges on canal and court Chowk, sewerage and drinking water system on the city outskirts, world class airport and railway station constructed, and development of Company Bagh, Gol Bagh, Saktri Bagh, 40 ‘khuh’ parks along with beautification of 400 parks of the city done.

Reconstruction of Bhandari Bridge and Rigo Bridge, rail overbridge to connect the inner city to civil line, new construction of Chheharta railway station, beautification of Jallianwala Bagh, software park in Verka to give technical education to industrialists at a cost of Rs 20 crore will also be set up in Amritsar, he added.