Anandpur Sahib, Jan 6 — Construction of the proposed Heritage Street in Anandpur Sahib has come to a halt amid a standoff between the Punjab government and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), leaving an open trench on the main approach road to Takht Shri Keshgarh Sahib and causing inconvenience to pilgrims.
The project, planned as a white-marble pedestrian corridor from NH-503 to the Takht, was stopped after SGPC officials allegedly asked contractors of the state Tourism Department to suspend work. Since then, there has been no clarity on when construction will resume.
Tourism Department officials said the government was avoiding a direct confrontation with the SGPC and was instead exploring alternative channels to resolve the impasse.
“There is no definite timeline at the moment. Some feel the work may restart only after Hola Mohalla in March,” a senior official said on condition of anonymity.
The Heritage Street was conceived as a flagship religious tourism project, similar to the one in Amritsar, aimed at improving the pilgrim experience and enhancing the city’s spiritual ambience.
“Amritsar witnessed a surge in tourism after its Heritage Street came up. Anandpur Sahib had the potential to see similar gains,” the official said, adding that the project had become a casualty of politics.
The SGPC has opposed the project, claiming it would inconvenience devotees. In a letter dated December 22, the manager of Takht Shri Keshgarh Sahib urged the government not to proceed with construction, citing concerns over pilgrim movement and objecting to parts of the design, including a proposed gate.
Acting Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj later echoed these concerns, stating that the gate could obstruct the direct view of the Takht.
Government sources, however, maintained that the project had earlier received SGPC approval and alleged that the opposition was politically driven. The dispute follows strained relations between the SGPC and the Aam Aadmi Party government during events marking the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur last November.
Officials also warned that the Rs 25 crore sanctioned for the project could lapse if work does not resume within the stipulated period.