Rs 75-cr facelift for Dera Baba Nanak

Tribune News Service

Dera Baba Nanak, July 21

Even as efforts are being made to complete the Kartarpur corridor before October 31, the historic Dera Baba Nanak town, the actual starting point of the passage to Pakistan, is being given a massive facelift keeping in view the fact that lakhs of pilgrims from all over the world are expected to converge once the corridor gets operational.

Cabinet Minister and Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said the Punjab government had sanctioned a grant of Rs 75 crore for the city’s beautification which includes money for the installation of the highly successful Seechewal model for cleaning of village ponds.

As many as 50 villages, all located in the vicinity of the corridor, have been identified where this model will be replicated. Randhawa said the project had been so successful that the Union government had approved it to clean the Ganga.

It envisages the collection of the sewerage water into a pond where a wire meshing is used to filter objects flowing in the water. After that the polluted water is taken into two wells where silt and other extraneous material are taken away before it flows to the third well where it is cleaned with sun rays.

“The model is so effective that former President APJ Abdul Kalam became a big votary of it and even visited Seechewal village in Jalandhar district in 2006 and 2008. Later, the then Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharti visited the area before approving it to clean the Ganga. Work in two villages — Jaurian Khurd and Chandunangal — in Dera Baba Nanak block has already been started. We expect to cover other 48 villages before October 31. We are expecting Sikh devotees from foreign lands and we want to show them that Punjab has changed for the better,” said Randhawa.

The minister has asked officials of the Gurdaspur administration to visit Seechewal village to ensure there are no hiccups involved when the model is adopted here.

As part of the beautification plan, the government senior secondary school for boys, which was constructed more than 100 years ago, is being declared a heritage site. The 500-metre road running through the heart of the city has already been declared a heritage street on the lines of the one in Amritsar. Liquor and meat shops have been shifted to the outskirts.

“Dera Baba Nanak is a holy city associated with Guru Nanak Dev, hence it should present a clean look. Real estate prices have increased manifold and prominent hoteliers are keen to open their establishments here. All four roads leading to town are being four laned. The corridor has indeed given a fresh lease of life to the city,” added the minister.

A food park in 35 acres is being established near the corridor. Four acres of land have been earmarked for parking and an indoor stadium is being constructed.

5 Moga villages to benefit

Moga: To mark 550th Gurpurb, five villages in the district associated with the life and time of the first Sikh Guru will get a complete facelift. Divulging details while reviewing the works, Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans said the district administration has identified five such villages in the district, linked with Guru Nanak Dev and the government will spend  Rs 1 crore each in these villages, Daudhar Garbi, Daudhar Sharki, Patto Hira Singh, Takhtupura and Fatehgarh Korotana. TNS