Seeking special funds for development projects in Patna for 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday met the Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley, besides Railways Board chairman.
Badal sought personal intervention of Union Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari for sanctioning Rs600 crore to Bihar Government for undertaking four-laning of four kms road from Didar Ganj on NH-30 to Kangan Ghat to enable millions of devotees expected to converge at Patna Sahib for grand celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh’s anniversary with ease.
Accompanied by Union Food Processing Minister and SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Badal apprised Gadkari that the Governments of Punjab and Bihar were extensively preparing to commemorate the mega historic event to mark the birth anniversary of Sikhs’ tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh, from December 2016 to January 2017.
Gadkari assured Badal of positive outcome saying that he would soon get the entire project reviewed from his Ministry before giving a final nod.
Badal also met the Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to impress upon him to make special budgetary provision in the next Union Budget for the celebrations of Guru’s 350th birth anniversary.
The Chief Minister also paid a courtesy call to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh at his residence.
Also calling on the Railways Board chairman Ashok Kumar Mittal, Badal envisaged his direct intervention to ensure timely completion of several railway development works in Patna to enable hassle-free and comfortable accessibility to millions of pilgrims expected to converge during the celebrations.
listing the works to be accomplished by the Railways Ministry, Badal informed Mittal to get up-gradation of Patna Sahib and Patna Ghat railway stations on top priority as majority of pilgrims would be travelling by special trains from Punjab, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of the country.
He also briefed him that currently, disembarkation facility for persons travelling by rail was available only at Patna Sahib Terminal.
“Giving the current urban spread of Patna city, it would be virtually impossible for such a large number of devotees to travel to the temporary tented city being erected on the banks of River Ganges. The only viable solution of this was that the train should reach Patna Ghat railway station. This was an old defunct railway line from Patna Sahib Terminal to Patna Ghat railway station,” demanded Badal.