15022025-ATR-01.qxd 2/14/2025 11:20 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY KASHMIRI YOUTH EMBRACE PUNJAB’S WARMTH VALENTINE'S DAY: AMRITSAR CELEBRATES LOVE IN ALL FORMS RICHA CHADHA NEXT, A DRAMEDY FILM AKHRI SOMVAAR 120 students from Kashmir have come to Ludhiana under a student exchange programme by Nehru Yuva Kendra. P3 Valentine's Day celebrations filled the streets of Amritsar on Friday, with several outlets selling flowers and gifts. P2 The actor-producer has also penned the script of Akhri Somvaar, which revolves around a successful TV producer . P4 » » » MAX 23°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 23°C | MIN 6°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6.17 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7.11 AM SATURDAY | 15 FEBRUARY 2025 | AMRITSAR Plan afoot to expand city airport Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 To accommodate the increasing traffic, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to expand and renovate the terminal building at Sri Guru Ramdas International Airport in Amritsar. Work for this will start soon. Information regarding this was shared by the Union Minister for Civil Aviation with Amritsar MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla. The Union Minister stated that about 10,000 square meters of additional space has been added to the terminal under the project. The peakhour passenger handling capacity of the terminal is expected to increase from 1,600 to 2,000 after the expansion. The ministry emphasised that expansion and upgrade is an ongoing process undertaken by the AAI and other airport operators based on factors such as passenger demand, The Union Minister has said about 10,000 square mtrs of additional space has been added to the terminal under the project. land availability, commercial facilities, socio-economic considerations and airline interest. About the complaints of harassment of passengers by ground handling staff, the ministry said no such complaints have been received. However, the ministry assured that necessary measures have been taken to address passenger concerns, including prominently displaying contact numbers for the duty terminal manager and CISF control room, as well as dedicated help desks at both departure and arrival terminals. In response to concerns about exploitation of wheelchair-bound passengers, the ministry highlighted that the government has issued accessibility standards and guidelines for civil aviation to ensure safe and independent movement of passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility. Special DGP reviews security measures in border areas PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 Special Director General of Police (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla on Friday stated that the detection of drones and seizure of drugs and weapons at the international border along Punjab has increased manifold. He lauded the Punjab police saying it has been acting as the second line of defence after the Border Security Force (BSF). Shukla was here to hold a meeting with senior police officials of border districts under Amritsar Range. Podium of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s statue in Ram Bagh cries for repairs He said that the Punjab government has allocated Rs 30 crore for installing CCTV cameras at vulnerable points near the IndiaPakistan border to check infiltration and the movement of drug peddlers. He said along with the help of village defence committees (VDCs), this lead to significant enhancement in the recovery of heroin and weapons in the past couple of years. The Special Director General of Police said the Punjab police have launched a special drive against gangsters and street crime lead- ing to a number of operations in which gangsters and their accomplices were held. “I have come to examine various operation being carried out by the Amritsar Police Commissionerate and the DIG Border Range, consisting of four police districts, including Amritsar Rural, Batala, Gurdaspur and Pathankot,” he said. He also examined the measures being taken by the police to curb drug peddling in the border areas. Shukla also said that the meeting discussed early disposal of pending cases to ensure quick justice. Tiles have caved in and some are missing from the podium on which rests the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh at Company Bagh in Amritsar on Friday. VISHAL KUMAR Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 Major cracks in the podium on which rests the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (at Ram Bagh), sculpted by renowned artist Ram Vanji Sutar, have been crying for repairs for months with the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) turning a blind eye to the issue. Local activists, concerned about the legacy of Mahara- Martyr Sukhjinder Singh Rich tributes paid to martyr Sukhjinder Singh of CRPF Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 14 Martyr Sukhjinder Singh, a CRPF jawan, who laid down his life while on duty, was paid rich tributes in his native Gandiwind Dhattal village on Friday at a religious congregation organised by his family. The congregation was attended by a large number of villagers of the area. Sukhjinder Singh attained martyrdom when the CRPF that was on its way back from Jammu to Kashmir on February 14, 2019 in the Pulwama sector, was ambushed. The Bhog of Sri Akhand Path was performed followed by kirtan by a ragi jatha. Subedar Balwant Singh, village Sarpanch, Sukhwinder Singh from the CRPF , Jalandhar, Gurpreet Singh Gandiwind, state leader of the Powercom employees, were among those who addressed the gathering and paid tributes to the martyr. Amritsar, February 14 Amid the presence of a heavy police force, the Amritsar Development Authority (ADA) along with several other government departments demolished an illegal colony, named King Avenue, on the Amritsar-Tarn Taran link road near Chattiwind village here on Friday. While giving information in this regard, District Town Planner (Regulatory) Gursewak Singh Aulakh said according to the instructions of the government, the unauthorised colony at Chatiwind village was issued a notice under the PAPRA Act, 1995, to stop the work because the owner of the unauthorised colony was flouting the government rules. He clarified that according to the 2024 amendment to the PAPRA Act, 1995, imprisonment of five to 10 years and a fine of ~25 lakh to ~5 crore can be imposed against a person who develop an unauthorised colony. The department has so far written to the police to register an FIR against a total of 15 colonisers for carving out an equal number of unauthorized colonies, besides unauthorized constructions. Besides, the regulatory wing of PUDA periodically checks unauthorized colonies and constructions Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 In a major administrative reshuffle, six secretaries posted in various Municipal Corporations of Punjab have been promoted and appointed as Assistant Commissioners. The decision was taken as per the orders issued by Tejveer Singh, Secretary, being developed in the district by issuing notices and stopping the work. Even the police station is asked to take further action. The District Town Planner makes an appeal to the public not to buy plots in those colonies which have not been approved by PUDA. Before buying a plot after coming across an advertisement regarding the sale of plots, they must check if it has been approved by PUDA so that their hard-earned money does not get wasted. They also ask people that constructions should be done on any place in the district only after getting the necessary approval from PUDA. Unfilled deep pit along Tarn Taran to Chabal road poses a threat Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran, February 14 A deep pit left unfilled along the Tarn Taran-Chabal road near the Hari Ram rice factory is posing a threat to commuters. CPM leader Jaswinder Singh Manochahal and Heera Singh Kandianwala said here on Friday that the spot caved in more than two months ago and residents have since been appealing to continued on page 2 tion of the podium. At the time, then MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh stated that the MC had planned to reconstruct the walls of the platform, which had been damaged over time. He had claimed that funds had been arranged and repair work would begin soon. Before the Lok Sabha elections, MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla also visited the statue and raised concerns over the damaged platform, bro- ken tiles, and the unchecked growth of weeds and grass in the garden. However, after winning the Lok Sabha elections, Aujla made no efforts to restore the statue’s glory. Pawan Sharma, a social activist who recently visited the site, expressed disappointment over the statue’s pitiful condition. “It is an insult to our great warrior. Despite several assurances from the MP and the MC, nothing has been rectified,” he said. Kuljit Singh Malanwali, president of the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Virasat Manch, also raised concerns over the lack of action. “We have repeatedly highlighted that the spear in Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s right hand has been damaged. Even though MC officials are aware of the issue, no action has been taken to repair both the statue and the podium,” he added. Two MC secretaries promoted as Asstt Commissioners Amid heavy police force, ADA demolishes illegal colony Tribune News Service ja Ranjit Singh, claim that the cracks in the platform may lead to further damage to the statue. Earlier, some unidentified individuals damaged the spear placed in the right hand of the statue. Despite being aware of the damaged tiles, the authorities concerned are ignoring it. Six months ago, Amritsar Tribune had highlighted the poor upkeep of the statue and the deteriorating condi- An open pit along the Tarn Taran-Chabal road. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI c m y b Daljit Singh and Rajendra Sharma (left) who were promoted as Assistant Commissioners of the Municipal Corporation. CBSE Board exams from today, PSEB from Feb 19 Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 14 With the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) exams slated to begin from February 19, its chairman has urged the district administration to provide adequate security around examination centres. A notification was issued today in this regard by Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Jyoti Bala, imposing Section 144 and Section 163 of the Indian Citizens Safety Act, 2023, around the perimeter of 455 examination centres in the district. The Additional District Magistrate said this has been done to ensure the smooth conduct of Board examinations of classes 8, 10 and 12, including Open School from February 19 to April 4, 2025. The examinations will be conducted between 11 am to 2:15 pm daily and these sections will remain in force until the completion. The CBSE Board exams also commence from tomorrow, i.e. February 15 and strict instructions have been issued to schools and centre heads to ensure safe and fair conduct of exams. Sahodaya school heads and CBSE nodal officials will be conducting the exams under CCTV surveillance. Local Bodies Department, Government of Punjab. Among those promoted, Daljit Singh and Rajendra Sharma, who were serving as secretaries in the Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, have been elevated to the position of Assistant Commissioners. Notably, both officers will continue to serve in the Municipal Corporation, Amritsar, in their new role. Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh extended his best wishes to the newly promoted Assistant Commissioners and praised their dedication and service. “The promotions are expected to bring efficiency and better governance in the functioning of the Municipal Corporation,” he said.