Amritsar, May 14
Although the beauty of several places of historical and religious significance in Amritsar attracts unprecedented inflow of tourists, yet unplanned residential or commercial buildings, without sparing a thought for uninterrupted commuting or adequate parking space, has virtually tarnished the charm of the holy city.

The city has assumed a haphazard layout plan.

It is a pity that Amritsar, which otherwise has an enormous potential to be a model city, has ended up as a crisscrossing network of narrow roads and passages constantly vexed by temporary and permanent encroachments which add to the colossal chaos created by traffic snarls which grow more out of police control with every passing day.

There is an inadequate parking and moving space on the roads in proportion to the number of vehicles in the city.

The leniency and casual approach of the Municipal Corporation and Improvement Trust authorities, political pressure and corruption, have a lot to do with the situation getting out of hands.

The District Transport Office confirmed that there had been an increase of nearly 50,000 vehicles every year. About 25 per cent of the volume of vehicles added on city roads everyday is owing to external vehicles.

In addition to this, the regular rush of world leaders and famous personalities to the city due to its multiple attractions lead to frequent traffic diversions, adding to the mess on the roads.

Although the authorities recently decided to crack a whip on encroachers, making the areas surrounding the Golden Temple as a no-vehicle zone, this too has ended in nothing but a few days’ drama and the decision had to be reviewed under political pressure.

Located on Lawrence Road, the six-storey parking in Nehru Complex was conceptualised to ease traffic woes.

Although built to cater to the parking needs of Nehru Complex, which houses 23 shops and 27 booths on its ground and first floors with double basement and terrace parking to accommodate 300 cars in one lakh square feet of built area, it is an irony that due to poor maintenance and lenient attitude of authorities, these parking lots were hardly put to any use for public convenience.

It has been learnt that only six sweepers were deployed in the mammoth building for cleanliness and hygiene even as six times the number is required for the job.

Though the MC, in connivance with the police, has been initiating to ease traffic bottlenecks, it is the police officials only who flout the rules. Just yesterday, a police truck and a Zen car, belonging to a police official, were spotted in a no-parking zone on Lawrence Road, Nehru Complex parking. Police Commissioner Varinder Kumar: If such a violation is being committed, it would be dealt with sternly. When a place has been designated as no-parking-zone, there is no justification for parking a vehicle even if it is a police vehicle. No leniency would be allowed.

Amritsar, May 14
The decision of the Amritsar administration for declaring Baba Phoola Singh Market road, Jahazgarh, as ‘no entry zone for vehicles’, and undue harassment by the challaning authorities, has invited the ire of shopkeepers and truck operators of the area.

Rejecting the move, the Baba Phoola Singh Market Shopkeepers Welfare Association today said most of the shops and people on this road depended on trucks for a living and making this route as no vehicle zone has hampered their business.

“This decision would make hundreds of truck mechanics out of job, who have been there for the last over 30 years. This market has been the only bread and butter for several families and this decision would defeat the interest of these self-employed people,” said Baba Daljit Singh, the president of the association.

It is to mention that to shift the market to a new place and to rehabilitate the truck operators, the administration had mooted a proposal of establishing Transport Nagar, on the backside of Jahazgarh itself, on the GT Road. Thereafter an auction was conducted for obtaining place over there.

The association also alleged the biased attitude of the administration in allotting the accommodation at this newly conceptualised Transport Nagar.

“The plan for making Transport Nagar was proposed, keeping in mind the interests of only big transporters whereas the interest of small time truck mechanics, truck tyre and spare parts dealers has totally been ignored. The District Transport Office staff does not spare a single moment of challan even the under repair vehicles”, he alleged.

“It was a restricted auction. Under the rehabilitation scheme, only plots to the size of 500 square meters were offered to put under auction and only the rich transporters could grab that pie. Obviously, this offer was out of reach of the supporting fraternity, who has been in transport business for as long as 35 years. The actual requirement of place for establishing the transport business is nothing more than 60 sq meters per person. But no such plans have been there on the agenda of the administration”, rued Anantdeep Singh, general secretary of the association.

Amritsar, May 14
Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) vice-chairman Amardeep Singh Cheema would lead a Central government delegation to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to participate in a six-day international conference on youth beginning on May 12.

The conference would be held on the theme of crime-free generation focusing on street crime.

Cheema, who is leading a six-member delegation to the conference, is managing one of the largest rural youth organisations in the world having more than 3.05 lakh youth clubs associated with it, while the membership crossing 8.5 million.

Cheema said in the fast-changing global scenario, India was emerging as a self-sustaining developing youth power and Indian viewpoint was nowadays always taken into account by all the international policy making bodies.

He said he would take up the issue of terrorism in Punjab from 1980 to 1995. He added militancy led to a large-scale human devastation and practically the whole generation growing from 1980 to 1995 ended up largely under educated with practically less job opportunities.

The brand has expansion plans for Punjab. Anurag Rajpal stated, “We are planning expansion across Punjab both in the form of company owned outlets and franchisees.

Amritsar, May 14
The repeated requests of residents of Khuh Bumbe Wala and its adjoining areas to lift the garbage dump from outside Arya Samaj Senior Secondary School fell on deaf ears.

They even wrote to World Health Organisation, President of the Country but their plight caused by the dumper seems to have no end and that too when the solid garbage waste is managed by the city’s Municipal Corporation itself. The remaining city is covered by the private company hired by government to lift the garbage and managing solid waste.

Anil Khanna, a resident of adjoining area, pointed out that the garbage poses a grave threat to the health of the children studying in the school besides the inhabitants of the area. He said the garbage of surrounding areas including Katra Sher Singh, telephone exchange, Katra Moti Ram Tikoni Park, Lohgarh Gate and up to Guru Bazaar is collected near school from where it was send to final destination.

Another resident urged the authorities to make necessary arrangements to lift and send solid waste directly to final destination or solid waste management plant so that the people would not have to face hell like situation from the unbearable stink. The division among the residents is also responsible for the delay.

The sewerage system is the most sought after amenity in Ward 49 while rampant encroachment is another problem being faced by the residents. “The rats are adding to the sewerage problem. The rodents playing havoc with the sewerage system in several parts of the ward, which also houses Railway Station and famous Durgiana Temple besides several areas of walled city from Hathi Gate to Lohgarh Gate. The sewerage system remains choked or blocked on every alternate day while the authorities failed to provide any solution to the problem,” said Rajinder Kumar.

The rampant encroachment in every nook and corner of the ward could not catch the eye of the authorities who are on spree of demolition of illegal encroachments in the city after the order of Punjab and Haryana High Court. Railway link road outside Railway station is perfect example of this where encroachers bounced back after the drive launched by MC authorities.

The other areas that fell in the ward include Katra Praja, Katra Moti Ram, Hindustan Basti, Railway Colonies, Railway link road and Bhandari Bridge.

The ward consists of three parks including Tikoni park, Katra Moti, Bombay wala khuh and near Arya Samaj School. However, these parks were plagued with absence of proper upkeep of lighting system.

Residents of several parts also complained about water shortage as two tubewells in the ward went out of order. 

Amritsar, May 14
His looks are deceptive. His childlike face, mannerism and polished behaviour belie him to be a magician.

Belonging to Ganganagar in Rajasthan, Deepak Mujral (25), better known as Samrat Mangaltara, is among the youngest magicians in the world. He drove a motorcycle with eyes blindfolded in various streets of the city here today. It began from Sangam Theater intersection outside the bus stand and passed through Ram Bagh, Hall Bazaar, Kotwali, Shakti Nagar, Khazana Gate, Lohgarh Gate, Rego Bridge, Puttali Ghar, Khalsa College, Ranjit Avenue and culminated where it began.

He adopted the new name after learning the tricks of the trade from noted magician Mangal Senior.

When he was just 13, a show by Mangal fascinated him so much that he decided to become a magician himself. His parents agreed and supported him. It took nearly three years to learn the art, as he preferred to call it. He said magic was not something supernatural and powered by nocturnal powers. He added that any person with focused attention, keen interest and constant practice could become an expert in the field. He said it was a good entertainment and increases the efficiency of an individual in discharging his work swiftly.

His shows push the audience to the edge of their seats as he displays tricks such as driving motorcycle with eyes blindfolded and cutting himself into two pieces. He has performed in almost every state of north India and earned quite a name for himself at this young age.

Amritsar, May 14
Soaring fruit prices in the retail market make them out of the reach of common people. Almost all varieties of mango are being sold at Rs 40 a kg and above. Watermelon is the only cheapest available fruit at Rs 6 per kg.

Sandoori mango is being sold at Rs 50, whereas it was sold at Rs 60 last week. While the rate of safeda remained the same at Rs 40 a kg like previous week. Not so popular variety kesar is being sold at Rs 50 from its last week rate of Rs 40.

Meanwhile, alphonso, keeping its last week price is being sold at Rs 300 per dozen.

The rate of a dozen bananas has risen from Rs 30 to Rs 40. A kg of peach is maintaining its last week price of Rs 40. Cherry is available at Rs 50 to Rs 80 a kg depending upon its variety.

A kg of muskmelon has seen its cost tumbling down from Rs 15 past week to Rs 10 now. Watermelon is available at Rs 6 a kg. Famous juicy fruit mosumi costs Rs 80 a dozen.

Amritsar, May 14
All-India Anti-Terrorist Front president Manjit Singh Bitta today said now and then seizure of explosive materials from various cities of Punjab and intrusion of terrorists from across the border with Pakistan smacked of attempt to revive terrorism in Punjab.

He slammed terrorists, particularly Khalistanis, for trying to revive terrorism with the help of Pakistan and its intelligence agency ISI in the state.

He said the motive behind planting of explosives in an abandoned car near rail track here on May 8 was to scare the devotees visiting the Golden Temple from around the world. He said it was only last month that some terrorists sneaked into India from the border with Gurdaspur district. In the gun battle two terrorists were killed and two policemen were martyred.

Bitta demanded separate ministry for terrorism victims and security forces so that their grievances could be redressed immediately and compensations released within ther minimum time possible.

He expressed his amazement over demands of early execution Kasab, while there was no such words for those terrorists who had attacked Parliament.

They will be filming for the movie in the coming few weeks in London. The movie in Hindi, is about a young Sikh who battles to repair his dad's reputation after meeting a girl who gives him courage.It is reported that the cricketing legends make an 'amusing' guest appearance. — ANI