Amritsar, considered a holy city by Sikhs, will get a facelift with development projects worth Rs.1,668 crore ($280 million) to be made operational in the next 12 months, Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Tuesday.
Directing officials of various departments to adhere to the deadlines for completion of these projects, Badal said he would personally monitor the work.
The projects being undertaken to give the city, 225 km from here, a facelift include a plaza at the main entrance of the Golden Temple complex, which houses the Harmandir Sahib, the holiest of Sikh shrines.
Other projects include a Rs 160.60 crore sewerage work, flyovers, sports complex, beautification of the city and installation of CCTV cameras to make Amritsar a safe city.
Revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia said that some of the projects would be completed later this year.
Amritsar gets millions of devotees and tourists from India and abroad every year.