Volunteers build 8-km road in Punjab without govt funds ahead of Guru Tegh Bahadur anniversary

An 8-kilometre stretch of the Anandpur Sahib–Garhshankar state highway between Kanpur Khuhi and Singpur in Punjab’s Ropar district has been constructed entirely by volunteers without any government funding, officials said on Thursday.

The project, led by Baba Satnam Singh of the Kar Seva Jatha Kila Anandgarh Sahib, is being readied ahead of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur next week.

The road, a two-lane portion of a proposed four-lane highway, was built through kar seva (community service) by volunteers.

Over the past one year and nine months, the team widened, levelled, and metalled the stretch, constructed multiple bridges, and made it motorable for devotees travelling to major religious sites in the area, Baba Satnam Singh told The Tribune.

The project proceeded despite the absence of official clearances. Notices were issued by the PWD and Forest departments, but villagers continued to donate labour, materials, and even private land.

Many locals voluntarily offered portions of their fields to widen the road, acknowledging the long-pending need for better connectivity to religious sites such as Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Mata Naina Devi Temple, and Kiratpur Sahib.

The Jatha plans to pay four times the registered value of the acquired land, significantly higher than typical government compensation, Baba Satnam Singh said.

“People came forward on their own. Only a few have gone to court, but we have decided to compensate all landowners fairly,” he added.

The Kar Seva Jatha, founded by the late Baba Labh Singh, had petitioned former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to construct this road, but no action followed.

“After Babaji passed away in 2019, we decided to fulfil his vision ourselves,” Baba Satnam Singh said.

A unique feature of the project is the “Seva Toll”, a voluntary contribution point where travellers donate whatever they wish.

Despite bureaucratic hurdles, the initiative has received support from local MLA and Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, further strengthening public participation.