AMRITSAR: To develop holy city of Amritsar as a World class tourist destination, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Thursday formally launched the beautification and maintenance project and laid the foundation stone for the major up gradation of road network of the holy city here today. 

Talking to media persons Badal informed that Rs. 80 crore would be spent on this project whereby within a short span of 12 months the major roads of Amritsar would be landscaped, have footpaths, street lights, traffic signals and sign indicator boards.  The project will be executed by Rohan and Rajdeep, a firm of National repute, he added. 

Besides, a sum of Rs. 20 crore each would be spent on dry brick flooring in the periphery wards ,  concrete flooring in various wards, solid waste management project and Rs.11 crore for ornamental tree plantation  in the city as a part of beautification and clean environment project, Badal informed.

“We owe a moral duty to develop Amritsar as one of the finest cities across the globe in view its historical and religious importance.  The development of this city can not the quantified in terms of money rather it is the sheer devotion and faith to bring spectacular all round development here as lakhs of devotees daily visit Sri Darbar Shaib (Golden Temple) to pay their obeisance in order to seek the blessings of Almighty,” said Badal. 

The Chief Minister also highlighted significance of over all development and growth of Amritsar in the context of the improved Indo-Pak relations which would further give a fillip to the bilateral trade between two countries in general and Punjab in particular.

Badal  said that  a policy would be formulated  for the development of Amritsar in such a manner that  balanced growth of the city is ensured  without ignoring the outer wards. He said that the State Government had initiated concerted efforts towards an integrated development of the corporate cities of Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali and Bathinda for which the services of renowned planners and architects were being taken to prepare the master plans of the cities.

Badal lamented that even after 60 years of Independence; the Centre had not been able to provide the basic civic amenities to our people.  He said any society or nation could not progress without education and health facilities.  He said his Government had embarked and ambitious plan to modernize the Government Guru Nanak Hospital and Medical College at a cost of 130 crore and probably it would the one of the best hospitals in the World. 

Answering a query regarding irregular supply of power,  Badal said that concerted efforts are being made to bridge the gap between demand and supply of power.  Later, replying to a question related to the recent political scenario, Badal said that UPA  has won but democracy has failed miserably.