Pind Babe Nanak Da project hangs fire

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar, October 13

Announced four years ago, the Rs 500-crore ‘Pind Babe Nanak Da’ project has hardly made any headway.

Barely two months after AAP came to power in the state, the Tourism Minister had announced that tenders would be floated for the project dedicated to the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak. However, the transaction adviser has yet not appointed a consultant.

While the Centre had given in-principle approval for a Rs 60-crore grant, the process to acquire land has not started. A total of 40 acres on the rear of Gurdwara Ber Sahib has been earmarked for acquisition and the consent of owners has not been taken so far.

Karnesh Sharma, Director, Tourism and Culture, said, “Though it is somewhat a slow start, we are surely making a headway. Once the consultant gets appointed by December, work will commence.”

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, too, has reportedly given directions that world-acclaimed architects be appointed for constructing this iconic project. The project was announced by the Centre in November 2018. The previous Congress government had asked Guru Nanak Dev University to come up with architectural plans for the heritage village of the first Sikh master.