Now, heritage street to come up near historic Baba Farid gurdwara in Faridkot
UNDER THE PLAN, THREE STREETS LEADING TO THE GURDWARA FROM THE QILA MUBARAK, THE GARG CHOWK AND THE JAIN SCHOOL WILL BE GIVEN A RETRO LOOK
FARIDKOT : The municipal council plans to build a heritage street on the routes leading to the historic Tila Baba Farid Gurdwara in the town, on the lines of the street that leads to the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
The project only takes inspiration from Amritsar, but will have its own unique identity.
Under the preliminary plan, three streets leading to the gurdwara from the Qila Mubarak (royal fort), the Garg Chowk and the Jain School will be given a retro look.
This will decongest the area around the gurdwara, as these roads will be pedestrian only, with no traffic allowed to ply. The front street of the Qila Mubarak will also be part of the project.
The council, which is funding the project, has asked its engineers from the buildings and roads branches to conduct a survey and prepare a blueprint of the appearance of the streets, and an estimate of the expenditure required.
All shops will also be renovated in a similar pattern to create an atmosphere of spirituality. Wires around the street will also be taken underground to give a clear view of the gurdwara and other historic buildings.
History shows that Sufi saint Baba Farid stopped by the city known as Mokhalhar (now Faridkot) in early 13th century and sat in isolation for 40 days near the fort of the King Mokhalhar. The king was impressed by his divinity and named the city after him. The place where Baba Farid sat is known as Tila Baba Farid.
Faridkot municipal council president Narinder Singh said, “Our engineers have started working on the plan and a proposal will be sent to local bodies department director for approval soon. We have sufficient funds to complete this project. After the approval, we will float tenders. We hope the project to be completed by the first quarter of 2022. It will be completely different from the Heritage Street,” he said.
Deputy commissioner Vimal Kumar Setia said, “This is our ambitious project to protect and conserve ancient history linked to Baba Farid and Faridkot. The Heritage Street is only a start, later we plan to restore the three historical gates of Faridkot and the Clock Tower, that the Faridkot Maharaja had built over a century ago.”
Faridkot MLA Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon said, “Building a Heritage Street is my dream project now. Baba Farid has blessed this city and people.the project is our tribute to him.” Maheepinder Singh, caretaker, Baba Farid Trust, which manages the historic gurdwara said the project was a welcome development.