Museum of the Sikhs to come up in Punjab
Navjot Singh Sidhu, Tourism and cultural affairs minister of Punjab has finalised a plan to develop Virasat-e-Khalsa, a museum of the Sikhs. The proposal was announced on 20th July, which will make the Virasat a ‘strategic tourist spot’ in the state. It also propose to improve the basic amenities and infrastructure at Anandpur Sahib, the birthplace of Khalsa.
“Since Virasat-e-Khalsa is attracting a number of tourists every year, it is high time to develop tented accommodation, budget hotels, food courts and souvenir shops in its vicinity,” said Sidhu, who was presiding over a meeting of Anandpur Sahib Foundation.
“The Union government has approved Rs 99 crore for the development of historical and religious sites across the state, under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, of which Rs 29 crore would be exclusively spent on the all-round development of Anandpur Sahib,” he added
Earlier the Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal has made a proposal to connect Anandpur Sahib with Naina Devi through a ropeway. Commenting on the proposal, Sidhu said he would discuss the matter with the Himachal Pradesh counterpart to expedite the project, which would further boost the tourism potential in the region.
Sidhu has also asked the tourism secretary Vikas Pratap to chalk out a detailed plan to ensure uniformity of all the buildings, shops and establishments in a holistic manner. Pratap informed the minister that the department was already working on this under Swadesh Darshan Project and soon take up this project to enhance its rich cultural legacy from a heritage perspective.
The Khalsa Heritage Project has been gradually becoming the centre of attraction with 92.6 lakh visitors, probably the highest for the country’s any memorial or monument in such a short period of time.