Amritsar January 18. The (SGPC) Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee yesterday presented a memorandum to Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal urging for the “re-designing” of incomplete Phase IV and V of the centrally sponsored “Galiara” (Golden Temple corridor plan) scheme for the beautification and decongestion of surroundings of Harmandar Sahib.

Mr Duggal paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and was honoured with a ‘siropa’ and presented a memo by Mr Rajinder Singh Mehta, SGPC executive committee member, Mr Dilmegh Singh, secretary SGPC and Mr Jaswinder Singh, a member of the SGPC.

The SGPC demanded that the new plan should be drawn up in consultation with the SGPC in view of growing number of visitors to the Golden Temple and complaints of inconvenience.

They said during Gurpurbs, Divali, Baisakhi etc number of devotees increases, constricting open spaces. The memorandum stated that Brahm Buta market and major part of Katra Ahluwalia be acquired to facilitate free movement of devotees.

The SGPC also complained about mushrooming of restaurants and hospitals near the holy shrine and alleged that these structures were causing traffic problems, as no parking facility was there.

They also raised issue of pollution due to vehicular emission causing damage to the shrine and suggested expediting of proposed multi-storey parking at Town Hall, as envisaged in original plan. They also desired the Union Ministry to make the Golden Temple zone, free from the sale of ‘cigarettes’ and wine.

The union home ministry approved Rs 106 crore package for incomplete phases of the Galiara project in January last year . The union member also gave nod for the demolition of ‘heritage’ building of “Saragarhi government senior secondary schoo l” to make way for multi-storey parking. In addition, the Rs 134 crore elevated road plan would facilitate smoother approach to the shrine from the GT road.