Delays are par for the course, say Amritsar residents as project jumps deadline

This time, the reason behind their anger is — the radial road redevelopment project. Even after a year, the project has not been completed, especially the Ghee Mandi road,

The project, which could not take off for years, was formally launched in October 2025 ahead of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

The redevelopment aimed at improving four roads leading to the Golden Temple, but the work could only be started on the Ghee Mandi road.

The civic body had planned to complete the stretch before starting the work on the next road to minimise inconvenience during the anniversary celebrations.

However, a year after the launch, work on the first stretch is still underway, raising questions about the pace of execution.

Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill had earlier said the Ghee Mandi road would be completed within two months. The overall project has a completion deadline of 18 months.

The work involves several challenges as commercial activities and residents’ daily routine cannot be completely disrupted. Along with the road redevelopment, damaged water supply and sewer pipelines have to be replaced, while ensuring that existing services remain functional until the new system is operational.

Under the project, roads will be redeveloped using coloured concrete stones and tiles. Dedicated underground ducts will be constructed to accommodate electricity cables.

Around 400 houses and shops along the selected routes will also undergo uniform facade development to enhance the heritage character of the area.

The four roads identified for redevelopment are the Mahna Singh Road, Inside Ghee Mandi, Sri Ramsar Road and Katra Ahluwalia, covering a total stretch of approximately 4.5 km.

The work is planned in phases, beginning with the Ghee Mandi road, followed by the Mahna Singh Road, the Ramsar Road and the Katra Ahluwalia Road.

With work on the first stretch progressing slowly, the timely execution of the remaining phases will be crucial to completing the entire project within the stipulated 18-month period.