WB team in Amritsar to select site for Museum on Partition

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 2

A five-member team of the World Bank today visited various heritage sites in the holy city with an aim to explore the possibility of setting up a world-class ‘Museum on Partition’ here.

Led by noted economist Lord Meghnad Desai, the team comprised Kishwar Desai, Malika Ahluwalia, Gitanjali Chaturvedi and Bindu Manchanda.

The team visited five sites — the Ram Bagh Gardens (also called Company Bagh), the summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Town Hall, Gobindgarh Fort and Chaali Khooh.

The team first visited the Deputy Commissioner Office, which boasts of rich architecture of the British era, followed by the Company Bagh. They also had a look at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama located on the Company Bagh premises.

At Gobindgarh Fort, Kishwar Desai lauded the efforts being made by the state government for the preservation and restoration of heritage sites.

She said they were impressed with the ongoing development and heritage preservation initiatives taken by the state government at Gobindgarh Fort. She said they also had an enriching experience of visiting the Company Bagh which was a treasure house of history, art and exquisite architecture of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh era.

She said they were in the city to observe and take stock of heritage sites since Amritsar has a rich cultural heritage and great significance in the world of tourism.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Ravi Bhagat said the World Bank team had held a meeting with Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Now, they visited the sites so as to zero in on the most appropriate and suitable site for ‘Museum on Partition’.

He said that after visiting Amritsar, the team would again meet the Chief Minister to put forth their views before finalising the site.