Roads to historic gurdwaras in a shambles

With the annual Shaheedi Jor Mela around the corner and devotees already thronging gurdwaras and making arrangements for langar, the roads leading to the historic gurdwaras are lying in a poor condition.

Though the Deputy Commissioner has been holding meetings to expedite the repair and maintenance work of the roads, nothing tangible has been done so far to fill potholes to ensure a smooth ride for the devotees. Even the ‘VIP road’, along the Sirhind Choe, which is used by the Chief Minister, ministers and other VIPs to reach the gurdwaras remains in a poor condition.

The department has been claiming that nearly Rs 1 crore has been received for repair and even the MLA has inaugurated the work on Lincoln College Road, but there is hardly any progress on the ground. The road from Gurdwara Jyoti Swarup Sahib to Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib, from Sirhind city to Gurdwara Sahib and other stretches are in worst condition and the repair work is yet to start.

Resentment prevails among residents due to indifferent attitude of the authorities regarding the preparations for the annual Shaheedi Jor Mela as only a few days are left for the historic event.

More than 20 Lakh devotees come to pay obeisance to the younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh who were bricked alive at Gurdwara Fatehgarh Sahib by Mughals for refusing to embrace Islam.

Addressing the media today, Jagdeep Singh Cheema, state secretary SAD, threatened the State Government with an agitation if the roads are not repaired within a week.

Representatives of certain NGOs and political leaders allege that the officials are deliberately delaying the repair work and will make do with patch work that would hardly last for a few weeks and the money will go down the drain.

Surinder Walia, XEN PWD, said the government had released Rs 95.54 lakh for repairing roads leading to Gurdwara Sahib and the work had started on some roads.