Heritage Street’s bumpy stones to give way to new bitumen road
It was slated for completion by December 2021 but remained incomplete after multiple changes
The much-publicised Heritage Street project in Patiala — once projected as a landmark urban facelift — is now set to be dismantled, with the administration deciding to remove the specialised stone paving and replace it with a conventional concrete and bitumen road.
Conceptualised during the previous Congress government- then led Captain Amarinder Singh, the project was launched in 2020 with the foundation stone laid for the stretch from Samanya Gate to Hanuman Mandir Chowk. Modelled on the Heritage Street in Amritsar, the scheme aimed to transform the area around Qila Mubarak into a tourism hub and give the city a historical makeover.
Initially estimated at Rs 43 crore, the project envisaged cobbling a 2-km stretch with red granite stones, installing antique-style streetlights, shifting high- and low-tension power cables underground, setting up compact substation transformers, upgrading shop façades with steel plates and standardising signage. It was slated for completion by December 2021 but remained incomplete after multiple changes in the original plan.
To assess the situation, MLA Ajitpal Singh Kohli and Mayor Kundan Gogia, along with senior officials of the Municipal Corporation, PUDA and PSPCL, visited the site. During the visit, residents unanimously demanded removal of the stones.
Kohli said the instructions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann were clear that public convenience must remain paramount. He said that the previous government had spent public money without proper planning and asserted that corrective steps were now being taken.
From the outset, the project drew criticism from residents and traders, who termed it a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Complaints mounted over what many described as poor design and unscientific execution. Shopkeepers alleged that the red stones became extremely slippery during rain, leading to frequent skidding of two-wheelers. The uneven surface reportedly caused rapid wear and tear of vehicle tyres and suspension systems.
Locals also flagged the absence of proper drainage planning, claiming that rainwater flowed into shops during the monsoon. As the road condition deteriorated, traders said footfall declined sharply, resulting in financial losses.
Following persistent representations from residents and shopkeepers, it has been indicated to completely remove the heritage stones.
In their place, a 4-inch-thick reinforced concrete road will be constructed, topped with a layer of bitumen (asphalt) to ensure a smooth surface. The drainage system will also be overhauled with new pipelines to prevent flooding. An estimate has been prepared and sent to the Chief Secretary’s office for final approval.
Many residents have welcomed the move as a long-awaited relief, though several described the scrapping of the project as a glaring example of flawed planning and wasteful expenditure.
