Sri Anandpur Sahib, February 19: S. Harjot Singh Bains, Cabinet Minister for School Education and Information & Public Relations, Punjab, has undertaken a unique initiative to provide special facilities to the devotees visiting the holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib on the sacred occasion of Hola Mohalla. He stated that, keeping in view the convenience of the devotees arriving at Sri Anandpur Sahib, arrangements for “Trolley City” and “Tent City” are being made for the first time.
He said that every year, lakhs of devotees visit to pay obeisance during Hola Mohalla, due to which accommodation and vehicle parking become major challenges. As a solution to this issue, Trolley City is being established at two separate locations. An area of approximately five and a half acres at Jhinjri and the Charan Ganga Khad area has been designated for Trolley City, where devotees coming from villages in their trolleys will be provided with organized parking facilities.
The Cabinet Minister informed that a modern Tent City, equipped with all necessary facilities, is being set up over an area of approximately 8 acres, where free accommodation will be provided to devotees during Hola Mohalla. Notably, this Tent City will not remain limited to the festival period only, but will continue on a permanent basis for the next one year, so that devotees visiting the holy city under the Chief Minister’s Pilgrimage Scheme to pay obeisance at gurdwaras do not face any difficulty in accommodation.
He emphasized that the government’s main objective is to provide devotees with a clean, safe, and convenient environment. Therefore, basic amenities such as clean drinking water, sanitation arrangements, lighting, and security are being ensured in the Tent City. Instructions have also been issued to the local administration to make special arrangements for traffic management and the convenience of devotees during Hola Mohalla. With this unique initiative, not only will devotees benefit from improved facilities, but religious tourism in the holy city will also receive a new boost.
