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Written by Amarjit Thind, Tribune News Service, Sultanpur Lodhi
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Sunday, 25 November 2007 |
 Sultanpur Lodhi will be the first place in Punjab to be on the world religious tourism map because of its sanctity and heritage value.
This was disclosed by Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal while interacting with mediapersons here today. The CM also paid obeisance at Ber Sahib gurdwara on the occasion of the prakash purb of Guru Nanak Dev.
He said representatives of the World Tourism Organisation had visited Punjab to identify places that have religious importance and Sultanpur Lodhi had been identified as a befitting place to be on the map. No place could hold more importance since this is where the Guru attained enlightenment, he pointed out.
The Chief Minister said funds would not be a problem for this prestigious project. A master plan for the planned development of Sultanpur Lodhi would soon be prepared.
At present, the Tourism Department is implementing a Rs 3.61-crore project to promote tourism in the Kapurthala-Sultanpur Lodhi tourist circuit and the ecological restoration of the Pavitar Bein project has been expedited.
Badal further said that keeping in view the religious value of this holy town, the government had initiated a series of steps to develop the city under the guidance of the newly constituted Sultanpur Lodhi Development Board.
The infrastructure, health facilities and transport connectivity of this historic town would also be upgraded which would further boost religious tourism, he said.
He said Rs 4.66 crore would be spent to upgrade the water supply and sewerage network of this town, keeping in view the increasing flow of pilgrims to this town in future.
A multi-specialty hospital with ultra-modern equipment with mobile vans facility would be set up to provide better health care here and the surrounding areas.
Badal announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for the stadium.
Speaking on the occasion, education minister, Punjab, Dr Upinderjit Kaur, on behalf of the people thanked the Chief Minister for the magnanimity shown by him to bring multifaceted development of Sultanpur Lodhi.
MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said everybody should adopt and follow the teaching of the great Gurus to create a harmonious and peace-loving society.
Badal also inaugurated the bridge over the bein, besides laying the foundation stones of two 66-KV grid sub-stations with a cost of Rs 8 crore for Khallu village and Pandori Jagir.
Others present on the occasion included revenue minister Ajit Singh Kohar, chief parliamentary secretary, medical education and research Sital Singh, SGPC members and local SAD- BJP leaders.
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