Amritsar, April 18
Taking up the issue of illegal encroachments and sanitation problems on roads leading to Heritage Street, MP Gurjeet Aujla has written to CM Bhagwant Mann, urging him to do the required to upgrade its infrastructural status.
In his letter, Aujla has highlighted several issues that present a not-so-rosy picture of the now famous Heritage Street, considered a tourist hotspot. “It is one of the oldest streets in city, leading to the Golden Temple and Town hall. It was reconstructed as a open walk street on the lines of open monuments like in European cities like Venice, Rome and Florence.
However, since the change in government, there has been an immense rise in illegal encroachments, targeting footpaths, corridors of Saragarhi Chowk, To Golden Temple Plaza. Potholed roads, illegal encroachments are giving tourists a hard time,” Aujla states in his letter.
He also mentioned that insanitary conditions like protruding manholes, choked sewerages are being ignored by district administration and MC, adding to woes of the tourists visiting the area. The multi-storeyed Saragarhi parking too has become a picture of neglect in absence of cleaning and fire safety. He also mentions the increased cases of pickpocketing and snatching in the area as law and order problem, tarnishing the name of holy city.
He has urged CM to use MPLAD funds and fill in these infrastructure lacunae so that the Vatican of Sikhs do not lose its sanctity.