Amritsar's road infra raises concern over readiness for 9th Sikh Master, Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 350th martyrdom anniv

For the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur, the holy city of Amritsar is preparing to welcome thousands of devotees from across the country and abroad. The devotees are expected to visit prominent Sikh shrines including Darbar Sahib, Gurdwara Guru Ke Mehal (birth place of Guru Teg Bahadur), Gurdwara Kotha Sahib Vallah and other sacred places. Nagar Kirtan processions will also be part of the commemorative events. However, the city’s crumbling road infrastructure is raising serious concerns about the preparedness for such a large-scale gathering.

Despite the significance of the event, the state of the roads in Amritsar remains extremely poor. Many of the city’s major roads have not been reconstructed in the last several years. In some areas, a single layer of surfacing laid around three years ago has already broken apart. The condition of roads built under the aegis of various agencies before assembly elections is also bad, pointing to substandard work and lack of maintenance.

The road conditions have further worsened due to the ongoing canal water supply project under which Larsen and Toubro (L&T) company has dug up several roads to install new pipelines. Unfortunately, these roads are not being restored promptly after excavation, leaving open trenches and broken surfaces behind, posing serious hazards, especially during the rainy season.

Residents and daily commuters say that the situation is dangerous, with frequent accidents and slow traffic movement becoming the norm. The concern is that nearly five crore devotees visiting Amritsar for the upcoming religious events will be greeted not with the grandeur of the celebrations, but with potholes and damaged roads.

Citizens are upset with the apparent inaction of the Municipal Corporation, which is being criticised for its sluggish response. Locals claim that the civic body is in a “deep slumber” even as the date of the event draws near. Repeated complaints are being made to city officials, including Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia, Senior Deputy Mayor Priyanka Sharma, and various MLAs. All of them have acknowledged the complaints and expressed the desire to repair the roads, but visible action is still missing.