Govt puts up hoardings to mark martyrdom anniv

As the Nagar Kirtan to mark the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur will take a round of the city on Saturday, hundreds of hoardings regarding the event have been put up by the state government along all the highways and the arterial roads of the city.

There is a hoarding at a distance of almost every 8-10 feet. Every electricity pole along the flyovers, intersections and dividers in the middle of the road has a hoarding informing the commuters about the programme being held at Anandpur Sahib from November 23 to 25. The hoarding has the picture of the Guru and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann with folded hands.

The Public Relations Department of the state government in all the districts across the state is learnt to have worked for several days to ensure that the hoardings are put up in the desired pattern to ensure maximum visibility to the commuters.

The Nagar Kirtan, which had entered Kapurthala from Goindwal side this evening, is expected to reach Jalandhar city late on Friday. The earmarked route for Friday is via Kartarpur, Verka Milk Plant, New Vegetable Market, Workshop Chowk and Kapurthala Chowk. The procession will halt in the night at Gurdwara Dera Santgarh Sahib.

On Saturday morning, it will pass through Kapurthala Chowk, Patel Chowk, Basti Adda Chowk, Bhagwan Valmik Chowk, Dr BR Ambedkar Chowk and then at Guru Nanak Mission Chowk where a Guard of Honour will be given. Then on, it will proceed towards BMC Chowk, Ladowali Road, BSF Chowk, PAP Chowk, Rama Mandi Chowk and then Haveli.

In view of the Nagar Kirtan, the district administration has announced half day in all the educational institutes of the city till 12 noon. Since it is Saturday tomorrow, most schools including St Joseph's Convent School and Cambridge Innovative School have decided to keep the campuses closed for full day. "It won't be easy to start the school at noon time. We do not want our buses and our children to get caught up in bad traffic anywhere on the route. Even the Nagar Kirtan could be running a little late behind schedule. We do not want everyone to remain in confusion tomorrow and hence keeping full day off was more advisable," said the principal of a private school.