Punjab Government Ready to Handover Three Important Sikh Memorials to Private Firms

CHANDIGARH—Despite sharp opposition by the apex Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhik Committee and Sikh masses, the Congress led Punjab government has decided to handover the charge of three important Sikh memorials namely the Fateh Burj at Chapparchiri in Mohali, the Vadda Ghallughara Memorial in Sangrur and the Chotta Ghallughara Memorial in Gurdaspur to private firms. After getting charge, the private firms will become fully authorized to maintain and operate these memorials built during the tenure of former SAD-BJP led Punjab government.

Sikh24 has learnt that the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) has been directed to identify and appoint the firms to manage these memorials. Presently, the Fateh Burj at Chapparchiri in Mohali, the Vadda Ghallughara Memorial in Sangrur and the Chotta Ghallughara Memorial in Gurdaspur are being maintained by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority, Patiala Development Authority and Amritsar Development Authority respectively. These authorities are controlled by the Housing Department of Punjab.

 

Justifying the development, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Punjab’s Housing Department Mr. Vini Mahajan said that the maintenance of monuments was not the primary work of the Housing Department. “Across the world, heritage sites are operated and maintained by entities specializing in heritage maintenance and who can attract maximum tourists” he claimed.

 

He added that the contract will be given on the precondition that the religious and historical importance of the monuments is maintained.

 

It is pertinent to note here that these three monuments mainly get tourists on weekends, but there are hardly any literature or audio-visual aids for tourists.

 

A report published by an Indian mainstream media outlet ‘The Tribune’ notes that the Fateh Burj built at Chapparchiri, commemorating the victory of Banda Singh Bahadur over Mughal Governor Wazir Khan, requires maintenance cost around Rupees 8.7 million per annum. Similarly, the Vadda Ghallughara memorial in Sangrur, built in the memory of 35,000 Sikhs who were massacred by the army of Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Abdali in1762, requires Rupees 5 million per annum for maintenance while the Chotta Ghallughara memorial at Gurdaspur, built in the memory of 11,000 Sikhs who attained martyrdom during war with the Mughal army in 1746, requires Rupees 3.8 million per annum for maintenance.

 

 

 

 

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