Memorial being spruced up, to have extended visiting hours

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 19

In pursuance with the passing of Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bill, it has been decided to extend the visiting hours of the historic place.

Keeping in view the daily footfall of at least one lakh at the Golden Temple, located just a few meters away, the memorial will now remain open till 8.30 pm. Presently in the absence of adequate infrastructure and proper lighting, the memorial opens at 6.30 am and closes at 5.30 pm.

Rajya Sabha MP Shwait Malik, who is also one of the members of the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust, had raised the issue in Parliament. “Jallianwala Bagh is the most frequented spot by visitors after the Golden Temple in Amritsar. I demanded in Parliament that the memorial should remain open till late evening so that the Golden Temple visitors get ample time to visit the memorial. Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture Prahlad Singh Patel has allowed to let it open till 8.30 pm. We will implement it once the ongoing renovation work gets completed,” he said.

In the next four months, the historic Jallianwala Bagh will don a new look. Keeping in place its historic composition intact, the work on restoration and allied services, worth Rs 19.36 crore, is being carried out under the supervision of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

In a first, a provision for a new exit point with a 15-ft-wide gate is being kept. Since the inception of this memorial, a single gate is being used for entry and exit of visitors. Originally also, the bagh had one entry point with a narrow passage from where General O’ Dyer had entered with his troop to order indiscriminate firing on innocent people on April 13, 1919, leading to mass bloodshed.

On the evening schedule would be a 10-minute multi-lingual light and sound show. Equipment worth Rs 3 crore is being set up. The earlier one, with Amitabh Bachchan’s voiceover in the background for historic narrative, has been lying defunct since 2014.

Besides four museum galleries, 50-seat auditorium on the first floor is being revamped with 3D projection system to showcase a documentary film on different time slots. Malik said talks were on with the BSF to conduct a parade in the evening near the Amar Jyoti at the memorial.