BJP revives call for district status to Anandpur Sahib

With the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur due next month, calls are growing louder for Anandpur Sahib to be carved out as the 24th district of Punjab.

State BJP vice-president Subhash Sharma has formally written to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, urging that Anandpur Sahib be accorded district status. He said despite administrative challenges, creating a separate district would be a fitting tribute to the Guru and the historic town and would give Anandpur Sahib the long-overdue economic impetus it deserves.

Earlier, former MP from Anandpur Sahib and Akali leader Prem Singh Chandumajra, during a recent visit to the town, reiterated the demand for district status.

Ropar was designated a district in 1966. In April 2006, Mohali district was carved out of Ropar and Patiala, becoming Punjab’s 18th district.

Today, Ropar district consists of Anandpur Sahib, Nangal, Chamkaur Sahib and Ropar subdivisions, along with blocks such as Nurpur Bedi and Morinda.

Up until 2008, Ropar was also a parliamentary constituency, created in 1967. Following the delimitation exercise, Ropar constituency was abolished and replaced by the Anandpur Sahib Lok Sabha seat. Supporters argue that declaring Anandpur Sahib a district on Guru Tegh Bahadur’s 350th martyrdom anniversary would send a powerful symbolic message, given the city’s pivotal role in Sikh history.

However, significant hurdles stand in the way. The estimated cost of creating new district infrastructure—including administrative buildings, offices and official accommodation—could exceed Rs 500 crore. If only Chamkaur Sahib remained with Ropar, the district would be severely reduced in size. Some earlier proposals suggested including Garhshankar from Hoshiarpur to the proposed Anandpur Sahib district to balance territorial requirements.

The state government was planning to schedule a special Assembly session on November 24 at Anandpur Sahib.