Union Food Processing Industries Minister and SAD MP from Bathinda, Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Sunday said that the preparations for befitting celebration of 550th Prakash Parva of Guru Nanak Dev were in final phase of implementation.
Besides ongoing work on infrastructure projects of Rs 321 crore, plans for establishing Chairs in the name of Guru Sahab abroad, seminars, establishment of Centre for Inter-Faith Studies and commemorative coins and postage stamps had been put into action, said Harsimrat after her meeting with the Union Home Minister, who is also heading the National Implementation Committee (NIC) which is in-charge of 550th anniversary celebrations.
Harsimrat said that work on all projects envisaged as part of Guru Sahab’s commemorative celebrations were proceeding at a fast pace.
She said that the NIC head informed her that the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs was executing a heritage complex at Sultanpur Lodhi and the concept village “Pind Babe Nanak Da” would be developed as a part of the project by the Union Ministry at a cost of Rs 321 crore.
“Sultanpur Lodhi railway station is being upgraded on heritage lines and passenger facilitation and safety arrangements are being made. The Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi would be routed through Sultanpur Lodhi three times a week,” she said.
She said that she would visit Sultanpur Lodhi on August 13 to oversee rail works. There was a plan to construct an auditorium next to the station so that pilgrims could learn more about the life and teachings of Guru Sahab while waiting at the station, she said adding that a special train had been started to Sultanpur Lodhi and that a saloon train would also be made open for bookings.
The Union Minister said that a Chair in the name of Guru Nanak Dev would be set up at the Shastri Indo Canadian Institute. Similarly, the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development had given approval to establish a Chair in Guru Sahab’s name in the United Kingdom.
“I was also informed by the NIC head that 10 panoramas would be set up at places visited by Guru Nanak Dev, including Kamrup, Puri, Rameshwaram, Nanded, Ujjain, Dwarka, Kashi, Kurukshetra, Nanakmata (Uttarakhand) and Martand. Commemorative coins and postage stamps will also be supplied to all missions abroad,” she said.