Set up in 2016 to maintain tourism sites, ACTDA virtually non-functional

Neeraj Bagga

Amritsar, July 3

Nearly seven years after it was formed, the writ of Amritsar Culture and Tourism Development Authority (ACTDA) runs only on the Heritage street and at the Golden Temple Entrance plaza. The Act for setting up the ACTDA was passed by the Cabinet in 2016 for the upkeep and maintenance of tourism sites in the holy city.

All tourism projects like Summer Palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a panorama on him, Pul Kanjri, another site associated with the Maharaja, Gobindgarh Fort, Sadda Pind, a heritage village, the Partition Museum, War Memorial, Hari Ke Patan wetland, Urban Haat, Shahi Qila restaurant at Attari, and others were to be taken care of by the authority. Now, all these projects are being run by different government agencies.

Urban Haat, opened along the lines of Lahore’s Food Street, is being managed by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), which has leased out the site for an annual sum of Rs 90 lakh.

Similarly, the Municipal Corporation Amritsar (MCA) is the custodian of tourism projects like Challi Khoo, a British-era hydroelectric power generation plant along the UBDC and the cafeteria in the historic building situated outside the Rambagh gate. The MCA has been keeping these sites locked due to non-availability of professional manpower.

Sources in the MCA stated that most of the sites were getting damaged due to lack of regular care. These sites were developed with grants of crores under the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY).

Officials said the ACTDA was to lease out these projects to private players in exchange for a handsome amount which was to be used for their maintenance.

As per the composition of the authority, the Deputy Commissioner is its Chief Executive Officer, the Tourism Director and MCA Commissioner are its member secretaries and the Commissioner of Police its member. A Chandigarh-based Executive Engineer of the Punjab Tourism and Culture Affairs has been given the additional charge of the authority as of now. So it does not have any regular official based in the holy city.

MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi acknowledged the fact that three tourism sites under the MCA have been lying locked. He claimed that he had issued work orders on Sunday to frame requests for proposals and provide transaction advisory services to select a company that would operate and maintain the facilities created under the HRIDAY.

Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Secretary, Tourism Department, said the ACTDA receives an allocation in the annual budget to maintain the Heritage Street and its office-bearers are committed to run it smoothly. He added that the income from the properties of local government bodies cannot be taken away by another department.

Deputy Commissioner Amit Talwar said he had joined work here only over a month ago and could comment over the functioning of ACTDA after reviewing it.

Sites under MC locked over lack of manpower

The Municipal Corporation Amritsar (MCA) which is the custodian of tourism projects like Challi Khoo, a British-era hydroelectric power generation plant along the UBDC and the cafeteria in the historic building situated outside the Rambagh gate has been keeping these sites locked due to the non-availability of professional manpower.