Durgiana Temple to have heritage street, Rs 5 cr okayed

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 9

On the lines of Heritage Street leading to the Golden Temple, Local Bodies Minister on Wednesday announced an identical walkway for Durgiana Temple.

Costing around Rs 5 crore, this heritage street will start from Hathi Gate and have uniform structures around. The passage will run parallel to the existing road, but will be dedicated for the pedestrian devotees to help them reach Durgiana Temple.

As per the plan, one side of the road will be taken up to lay pebble path exclusively for pedestrians where no traffic would be allowed. This will decongest the area approaching the temple.

Sidhu, accompanied by Secretary, Local Bodies, Venu Parsad, Mayor Karamjit Rintu, Deputy Commissioner KS Sangha, MC Commissioner Sonali Giri and Improvement Trust SE Rajiv Sekhri, inspected the ongoing beautification work of the shrine.

He announced that no trader would be affected. “I am emotionally attached with this place. A sum of Rs 5 crore has already been released. My father was a Sikh and mother a Hindu. If I have faith in the Golden Temple, I have equal devotion towards Durgiana Mandir. This heritage street cannot be declared a no-vehicle zone like the one leading to the Golden Temple, but the facade alongside it would be given a uniform look,” he said.

Taking a dig at the SAD-BJP, Sidhu said the alliance had failed to complete the project and never released adequate funds. On August 28, 2016, the then Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had originally laid the foundation stone of a renovation project worth Rs 115 crore. Its first phase was inaugurated on October 7, 2016.

Bull charges at Sidhu

A stray bull reportedly attacked Sidhu at the entrance to the Durgiana Mandir, but his alert security staff saved him. After holding a meeting with the temple management, when Sidhu came out to put on his shoes, the bull charged at him. Though Sidhu was pulled aside by his security staff, the furious animal hit some mediapersons and bystanders, leaving them with minor injuries.