NHAI told to develop new Sikh circuit, says Harsimrat Badal

The Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry has issued directions to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to develop new expressway connectivity via Sultanpur Lodhi, Goindwal Sahib, Khadoor Sahib and Tarn Taran up to Amritsar to create a new Sikh circuit covering five religious shrines as part of the proposed Delhi-Amritar-Katra Expressway.

Disclosing this in Chandigarh on Tuesday, Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that she had received a communication from Union Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari following a request in this context in keeping with the sentiments of Sikhs worldwide. She said the Highways Minister had assured her that he had got the entire issue examined and now a new greenfield alignment would be developed via Nakodar to cover all the Sikh shrines associated with five different Sikh Guru Sahiban.

She said that Gadkari had also informed her that the expressway would be extended to Dera Baba Nanak to provide connectivity to the recently developed Kartarpur Sahib corridor. The Union minister said that both moves besides providing the shortest connectivity to Amritsar as well as a direct link between the holy city and Delhi as per the wishes of Amritsar residents would also ensure Sikhs speedy and efficient access to the five shrines.