11102025-ATR-01.qxd 10/10/2025 11:31 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY PUNJAB GOVT GEARS UP TO PAY MEGA TRIBUTE TO 9TH SIKH GURU AMRITSAR STRIVES TO ABIDE BY FOUNDER'S IDEALS WITH RIGHT VISION, ART OFFERS STABLE CAREER: TEACHER The state government will commemorate the 350th martyrdom day of ninth Sikh master Guru Tegh Bahadur. P2 Despite the modern skyline, the old city’s heartbeat still echoes through its historic lanes and names. P2 Pooja at Jalandhar school has made it her mission to ensure her students become financially self-reliant . P3 » » MAX 29°C | MIN 18°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 18°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6.02 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6.31 AM » SATURDAY | 11 OCTOBER 2025 | AMRITSAR ADA demolishes illegal colonies at Ajnala Road, Ram Tirath Road Tribune News Service Workers during a protest outside the Amritsar Improvement Trust office in Amritsar on Friday. Sanitation workers stage hunger strike against contract system to support their families. The hunger strike is being conducted in a relay format, with two workers fasting each day. The protesters are demanding the abolition of the contract system and the regularisation of their jobs. They also allege that the DC rate — the minimum daily wage fixed by the district administration — has not been revised for years, leaving them in exploitative working conditions under outsourcing arrangements. As of now, no senior official from the AIT or district administration has visited the protest site, though police Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 10 Sanitation workers have launched an indefinite hunger strike outside the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) office at Ranjit Avenue here to protest against the contract system and alleged bonded labour practices. The workers, many of whom have served the Trust for several years, claim that despite their long tenure, they have not been made permanent employees. They currently earn only Rs 300 per day, which they say is insufficient personnel have been deployed to maintain order. On Thursday, the administration reportedly assured the protesting workers that a delegation of the protesters would be given an opportunity to meet with the Deputy Commissioner of Amritsar. Addressing the protesters, Nitish Bhim of the Bhim Action Committee accused the Punjab Government of maintaining a negative attitude toward labourers and Dalit workers. He stated that the peaceful protest would continue until all demands are met. Amritsar, October 10 The Amritsar Development Authority (ADA), in coordination with PUDA, on Thursday carried out a demolition drive targeting unauthorised colonies on the outskirts of the city. The action was taken in accordance with directives from the Punjab Government to curb unregulated urban sprawl and promote planned development. Following instructions from ADA Chief Administrator Nitesh Kumar Jain, a team from the ADA’s Regulatory Wing, led by District Town Planner (Regulatory) Gursewak Singh Aulakh, launched the operation with support from police personnel of Thana Kamboh. The enforcement team demolished illegal structures in unauthorised colonies that were being developed illegally at Kamboh village on Ajnala Road and Gaunsabad village on Ram Tirath Road. Officials said the action was Officials of the Amritsar Development Authority demolish an illegal colony on the outskirts of the city. initiated under the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation Act (PAPRA), 1995, after prior notices had been served to the violators. Work on Vallah flyover bridge stuck as contractor abandons project; commuters face traffic jams Amritsar, October 10 The much-awaited Vallah chowk flyover project has once again come to a standstill after the contractor reportedly abandoned the site. The bridge, which was expected to ease congestion on the busy bypass stretch, has been hanging fire for the past four years. According to local sources, construction at the site has been progressing at a snail’s pace for months. Now, with the contractor pulling out, the work has completely stopped, leaving commuters and nearby residents frustrated. The half- PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service A view of the under-construction bridge at Vallah in Amritsar. finished structure and damaged side lanes have turned the area into a traffic nightmare, especially during the peak hours. The stretch between the Vallah rail overbridge and the ammunition dump is in poor shape. As vehicles are being diverted onto narrow service lanes, traffic jams have become a daily occurrence. Ambulances, school buses, and even travellers heading to the airport often find themselves stuck for long durations. Residents have accused authorities of neglecting public inconvenience. “The bypass road has become a death trap. The flyover work has been dragging for years without accountability,” said Gurpreet Singh, a motorcycle mechanic at the Vallah chowk. Earlier this year, construction was halted temporarily for a design review following demands from local representatives and residents. They had urged the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to replace the solid embankment structure with a pillar-based design to avoid blocking access to nearby shops and villages. However, with the contractor’s exit, the future of the project remains uncertain. No official statement has yet been issued by the NHAI or district administration regarding the next steps. Residents now hope the government will intervene to restart the stalled work and bring relief to thousands of daily commuters who rely on this crucial route. Despite multiple warnings, the developers continued construction in defiance of regulations, forcing the authority to proceed with demolition. The department clarified that under the amended provisions of PAPRA (2024), those involved in developing illegal colonies All for husband’s longevity Women observe Karvachauth for their husbands’ longevity and marital happiness by offering prayers in Amritsar on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR LAWYER’S MURDER CASE MC Addl Commisssioner reviews progress Involvement of gangster’s operative of ongoing bioremediation project Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 10 Additional Commissioner of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation on Thursday inspected the Bhagtanwala dump site to review the progress of the ongoing bioremediation project being carried out by a private firm. The inspection aimed to assess the operational status of the waste treatment process and to resolve infrastructural bottlenecks affecting the project. During the visit, Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh directed the supervising engineer, Sandeep Singh, to expedite the repair of the road leading to the dump site. The road was badly damaged during the recent monsoon season, disrupting the movement of garbage-lifting vehicles and delaying waste transportation. Surinder Singh instructed that the repair work be completed on a war footing to ensure smooth and uninterrupted vehicular access to the site. Under the directions of MC Commissioner Bikramjit MC officials at the Bhagtanwala dump site in Amritsar on Friday. Singh Shergill, Additional Commissioner Surinder Singh also inspected the bioremediation machinery installed by Ecostan Company, which has been allotted the contract for the scientific treatment and disposal of the legacy waste accumulated at Bhagtanwala. Surinder Singh expressed concern over the delay in installing some of the machinery and instructed the company officials to complete the installation of the remaining equipment at the earliest. He emphasised that the entire bioremediation process must be carried out efficiently and in accordance with the terms of the contract awarded by the municipal corporation. The Additional Commissioner further noted that the Bhagtanwala dump had been a long-standing challenge for the city, posing environmental and health hazards for residents of nearby localities. The bioremediation project, he said, is a key initiative of the municipal corporation to permanently eliminate the massive garbage mound and restore the area into a cleaner, eco-friendly space. He also directed officials from the engineering and sanitation wings to maintain continuous supervision of the site and to coordinate closely with Ecostan Company to ensure timely progress. The municipal corporation, he added, is committed to implementing sustainable waste management practices and ensuring that Amritsar moves toward a cleaner and healthier urban environment. c m y b adds new angle to investigation Police officials say the matter is still under investigation Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 10 Even after the lapse of over two months, the police is yet to discover the motive behind the murder of lawyer Lakhwinder Singh who was gunned down by armed assailants in Jandiala Guru area on July 21. He had later succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital on August 3. The police have already arrested three persons, including two shooters, in the murder case. They were Lovepreet Singh of Amritsar, Manminder Singh alias Harman alias Billa, a resident of Bazigar Basti in Faridkot and Manpreet Singh alias Mani alias Kala Papa of Khalsa Nagar. The two shooters, Manminder and Manpreet, were held from Dehradun in Uttarakhand. They were believed could face imprisonment ranging from five to 10 years, along with fines between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 5 crore. So far, the ADA’s Regulatory Wing has written to the police to register FIRs against 26 colonisers and builders involved in unauthorised developments across the district. Officials said regular inspections are being carried out to detect illegal colonies, serve notices, halt ongoing work and initiate legal proceedings through local police stations. The ADA appealed to the public not to invest in plots located in unauthorised colonies lacking PUDA’s approval. It advised prospective buyers to verify official permissions before purchasing any property to avoid financial loss or legal trouble. The department also reminded citizens to obtain required building approvals from PUDA before commencing any construction within Amritsar district to ensure lawful and sustainable urban growth. to be the operatives of gangster Happy Jatt reported to be based abroad. The police had claimed that the incident was an outcome of personal enmity while denying any gangster’s involvement, but the involvement of operatives of a gangster added a new angle to the police theory. The police booked Balwinder Singh of Boparai village, Gurpreet Singh, Ajaypal Singh, Abhi and Angrej Singh following the statement of Daljit Singh, brother of the victim, who had told the police that the accused suspect that Lakhwinder Singh, who was contesting the case from their side, has been supporting the opposite group also. In total, 11 persons were booked in the case. Others who were booked included Manbir Singh, Sandeep Singh and Rajbir Singh. Balwinder Singh had later approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court for shifting the probe to some independent agency in the case. Police officials said that the matter was still under investigation and efforts were on to nab the remaining accused, including Abhi, who is alleged to be the prime suspect in the case. “The police is investigating the case from different angles and vital clues have been found which cannot be disclosed at this stage as it would hamper the probe,” said the police official. Police investigations had revealed that the conspiracy to kill Lakhwinder Singh was made at a hotel room located near the Golden Temple. BSF jawans seize over 4 kg opium in Khemkaran Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 10 The Border Security Force (BSF) has foiled two separate smuggling attempts along the Tarn Taran border, recovering a pistol and a packet of opium. According to officials, acting on specific intelligence, BSF jawans, in a joint operation with Punjab Police, recovered one pistol with two magazines from a farming field near Wan village. The weapon was found wrapped in yellow adhesive tape with a metal ring attached, indicating a drone drop attempt from across the border. In another operation, the BSF and Punjab Police recovered one big packet containing opium weighing 4.610 kg from a field near Khemkaran village. The packet was similarly wrapped in yellow adhesive tape with a steel ring attached, suggesting it too was dropped by a drone.