MC’s cafeteria move in Ram Bagh draws flak
Posted in:
Asia
By TNS |
Jun 9, 2008 - 6:28:14 PM
The site for the cafeteria on the premises of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s Summer Palace in Amritsar.
|
Amritsar, June 9: The move which is likely to draw flak from heritage lovers is that the Municipal Corporation (MC) here has decided to lease out 3,523 sq ft of summer palace of Maharaja Ranjit Singh for opening cafeteria at an auction on June 30.
The cafeteria will be opened inside Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama, along with open parking space of 1,000 sq m, for 11 years. All this is in the name of “real development” of the holy city Amritsar!
During a recent visit to the Maharaja’s summer palace, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had directed the local administration to evict all three clubs of the British era. On the other hand, a cafeteria will create even more problems.
Earlier, the Punjab government had denotified a part of the historic Ram Bagh of the Maharaja, to pave way for the construction of a Rs 5-crore panorama in his memory.
In the notification, the 20-kanal "protected" area was rendered "unprotected" which had drawn flak at that time.
Now, the MC has decided to lease out part of the area which was denotified. The foundation stone of the panorama was laid by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on November 18, 2001, to mark the bicentenary of the coronation of the legendary Maharaja.
The proposed cafeteria will open towards Madan Mohan Malviya Road near electricity complaint office by making a new gate. The reserve price per year for auction is 22.50 lakh a year.
This means Rs 247.50 crore for 11 years’ reserve price. Multinational companies like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut etc are expected to be involved in this business and the bid is expected to go above Rs 65 crore to Rs75 crore for 11 years. The car entry will be near the main Lawrence Road.
Ram Bagh has cluster of traditional buildings and canopies but due to the fast pace of modernization, the Bagh is already losing its identity, says Dr A.L.Adlakha, a former president of the Service Club.
With auctioning of this site there will be immense traffic conjunctions at Lawerence Road chowk and Madan Mohan Malviya Road and inside the panorama parking.
Noise, petrol and diesel pollution will pose danger to rare species of birds and old trees. The worst effected will be morning walkers who come to this place for shade, fresh air and calm.