:dateline:To make the 550th birthday celebrations memorable, the Punjab government has begun efforts to chalk out some decent plans for holding the celebrations in most befitted manner. The Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh underwent meeting with the representatives of Sant Samaj on September 10 seeking their suggestions for commemorating the 550th birthday of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in a befitting manner across the globe.
Interacting with the representatives of Sant Samaj, Captain Amarinder Singh informed that the state government of Punjab has chalked out a plan to setup a tent village at Sultanpur Lodhi similar to the arrangements that were made in Patna during the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. �A heritage tent village named, Pind Babe Nanak Da, costing around Rupees 2 Billion will be setup over 100 acres of land in Sultanpur Lodhi which will be capable of accommodating 3.5 million devotees expected to arrive in Sultanpur Lodhi during 550th birthday celebrations� he added.� �
Captain also informed that he had sought a special package of Rupees 21.45 billion from the Centre for various development works. �My plans include setting up of a National Institute of Interfaith Studies at Amritsar, a 500-bed super specialty hospital in Gurdaspur on Guru Sahib�s name, renovation of the bus stand and the railway station in Sultanpur Lodhi, setting up of guest houses and public toilets, sprucing up roads and running special trains to these holy places from different parts of the country in those days� he said.
PWD Minister Vijay Inder Singla, who accompanied the CM, said, �We are also re-christening a road that was traversed by Guru Nanak Dev Ji while travelling to Sultanpur Lodhi as Guru Nanak Maha Marg. For this, we have formed a committee comprising Guru Nanak Dev University VC, the Head of History Department of the university and an SGPC member. We have already designed a colorful foundation stone for this project.�
The minister said the state had sanctioned Rupees 1billion for the road widening and strengthening works, besides the construction of a rest house in Sultanpur Lodhi.
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