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Permanent all-weather tent city for Hola Mohalla at Anandpur Sahib, says minister Bains
The minister said the year-round facility would help address the long-standing shortage of accomodation for devotees and would also serve pilgrims under the Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme giving a major boost to tourism in the holy city.
Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains on Monday announced comprehensive arrangements, including a permanent all-weather tent city, for the ongoing Hola Mohalla celebrations at Anandpur Sahib.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Bains unveiled a series of initiatives, including India’s first permanent air-conditioned tent city, for observance of Hola Mohalla. “The permanent tent city was conceived after the success of a temporary structure last year and a subsequent inspection by chief minister Bhagwant Mann described the initiative as a “historic moment ” for religious tourism in Punjab.
The minister said the year-round facility would help address the long-standing shortage of accomodation for devotees and would also serve pilgrims under the Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme giving a major boost to tourism in the holy city. He added that this years New Year’s celebrations are being observed as “Green Hola Mohalla.”The Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme is a state-sponsored initiative, operational in states like Delhi, Punjab and Haryana offering free pilgrimage tours to senior citizens(generally 60 years).
As a part of green initiative, a ban on single- use plastics were enforced, and the Punjab Pollution Control Board(PPCB) bore the entire cost of providing biodegradable alternatives at all langar establishments. Bains said that given the massive scale of langars serving to lakh of devotees, every plate, cup and utensil used during the celebration will be made of non-plastic, biodegradable material.
“The holy city of Anandpur Sahib is illuminated and decorated at night, creating an “otherworldly” ambience. The revamped Panj Piaras Park reflects the state government’s focus on heritage restoration, while the Bhai Jaita Ji Museum and other historic sites continue to attract visitors with their rich exhibits”, Bains said in an official release.
To manage the influx of devotees arriving on tractors and trolleys from across Punjab, the Rupnagar district administration set up 28 dedicated parking zones. These facilities are equipped with bathrooms, CCTV surveillance and LED information screens and have been strategically located to serve different regions. Devotees from Majha and Doaba will be directed to the Trolley City near Charan Ganga, while those from Malwa and the Chandigarh side will be accommodated at the facility in village Jhinjri.
Adding to the celebrations, a grand fireworks display will be held on March 2 and 3.The minister further informed that 100 e-rickshaw shuttle services will operate to ferry devotees to key religious sites such as Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib and Qila Anandgarh Sahib, ensuring seamless movement during the festivities. The evening sky will light up with a grand display of fireworks on March 2 and 3 at Virasat-e-Khalsa, adding further splendour to the Hola Mohalla celebrations,” he said. A total of 20 large LED screens have been installed at key locations to provide real-time information and live broadcasts of the main processions.
