29062025-ATR-01.qxd 6/29/2025 12:04 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 29°C CANADIAN MP HONOURS GNDU VC FOR STRENGTHENING TIES SAD PROTESTS MAJITHIA’S ARREST, BURNS CM’S EFFIGY GONE TOO SOON: KAANTA LAGA STAR SHEFALI DIES The acknowledgement, issued in Surrey, British Columbia, was presented as a formal citation. P2 A delegation handed over a memorandum addressed to the Punjab Governor. P3 Shefali Jariwala, best known for her appearance in hit music video Kaanta Laga,has died at the age of 42. P4 » » » SUNSET SUNDAY 7.39 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5.28 AM SUNDAY | 29 JUNE 2025 | AMRITSAR Digital push at MC, records to go online Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 28 In a significant step towards improving transparency and efficiency, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation has begun digitalising all public property and their maintenance records under its jurisdiction. With this initiative, citizens and officials will now be able to access detailed information, at just one click, about which streets and lanes have undergone tiling or concrete work and when. The digitalisation initiative, which began in October 2024, is part of a broader public property management system. Under the system, records related to streets, lanes, water and sewer lines, repair and maintenance of vehicles and machinery, and procurement of new equipment are being uploaded into a centralised software system. MC officials claimed that it would bring transparency in road repair and construction work as concerns have been raised about some roads and streets being reconstructed or repaired even before the expiry of their intended lifespan. This often led to allegations of mismanagement or misuse of municipal funds. The software now tracks such details, whether a road was repaired within its expected AUTOMATED SYSTEM ■ Residents can access info like which streets and lanes have undergone tiling or concrete work and when. ■ The initiative began in 2024 and is part of a broader property management system. ■ To bring transparency, records related to streets, lanes, sewer lines, repair and maintenance of vehicles are being centrally uploaded. ■ The aim is also to avoid allegations of mismanagement or misuse of municipal funds. The software will now track such details. lifespan of three years for single-layer roads or five years for double-layer roads. Any new work proposal will automatically trigger a crosscheck with past records, ensuring that tenders are only issued when necessary. Starting May 1, data related to ongoing and new repair or maintenance work is also being recorded in the system. Whether it involves roads, sewer lines or water supply systems, every repair activity is logged, enabling accurate tracking of municipal activities. A five-member team from a private firm has been tasked with executing the digitalisation project. In the first phase, they completed data entry for land records, shops, offices, vehicles, water tanks, tubewells, BRTS buses and other infrastructure. Simultaneously, training is being provided to the Municipal Corporation’s IT cell to ensure smooth operation of the software. Previously, locating such records involved cumbersome file searches and often resulted in missed details or discrepancies. With the new digital system, all such information, along with the depreciation value of properties, can be checked instantly. This is expected to curb repeated repairs of the same assets and prevent unnecessary expenses. Additional MC Commissioner Surinder Singh stated that all digitised records are being cross-verified with their respective departments to eliminate data-entry errors. He also emphasised that under the new system, any attempt to undertake repair work before the expiry of a road’s expected life, will require the contractor to bear the cost, as per tender conditions. The digitalisation project has been allotted a three-year timeline for completion. Once fully operational, it promises not only better governance and fund utilisation but also the prioritisation of genuine development needs in the city. Expedite urban reform proposals, civic body told Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 28 Under the Central Government’s ‘Special Assistance Scheme for Capital Investment 2025–26’, the Municipal Corporation has been directed to speed up the preparation and submission of urban reform proposals. The scheme, aimed at providing capital support to states, requires urban local bodies to implement planning-related reforms on priority basis. In response, Additional Municipal Commissioner Surinder Singh has issued instructions to officials from the town planning and related departments to draft and present all reform-oriented proposals by June 30. These steps are essential to ensure timely access to financial assistance from the Centre for urban development initiatives. Surinder Singh stated that as per the latest directives from the Union Ministry of Finance, nodal officers have been appointed for overseeing city-level reforms. These officers are responsible for initiating necessary actions and preparing detailed progress reports, A view of the MC office at Ranjit Avenue in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR which will form the basis for receiving Central funds. The Municipal Corporation has already conduct- ed two internal review meetings on June 17 and June 25, where the roadmap for the proposed reforms was discussed in detail. A third and crucial meeting has now been scheduled for June 30 at 10 am at the office of the Additional MC Commissioner to finalise the proposals before submission. In addition, a state-level meeting is slated to take place on July 3 in Chandigarh, to be chaired by the Additional Chief Secretary of the Local Bodies Department. The upcoming meeting will serve as a platform for reviewing proposals from across the state and aligning them with the objectives of the SHER-E-PUNJAB’S DEATH ANNIVERSARY Glorious past, neglected present Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 28 Punjabis from all walks of life remember Maharaja Ranjit Singh on his death anniversary but the government and its dedicated Tourism Department have over the years failed to popularise the legendary Sikh ruler’s Summer Palace, containing Ram Bagh, Panorama and museum among tourists. Several studies in the past proved that a record number of tourists visit the Golden Temple daily yet the government failed to draft a conducive plan to divert at least five per cent of the visitors to these sites. Notably, the palace is situated just 3.6 km from the world’s holiest Sikh shrine. Only a minuscule number of tourists — between 20 to 50 — make it to the museum and Panorama, a feature added about 19 years back in the historic Ram Bagh to showcase the life history of the Maharaja with the help of mannequins. Shivjit Hundal and his wife Preminder Hundal, NRI Tourists feel govt has failed to put Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s legacy on their itinerary A view of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Panorama; and (right) the Summer Palace in the historic Ram Bagh Garden of Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR tourists from Chicago, said that the first problem they encountered was that neither the Summer Palace nor the museum has its individual website, instagram and other social media accounts, offering relevant information including working hours and holidays to help visitors prepare their itinerary. The second shock was that there was no power circula- tion during the time of their visit and the museum did not have its own generator set either. It made them depend upon torch light emanating out of their mobile handsets. A tourist blogger Rameshinder Singh says, “Despite being historically rich, it has been ignored. It could actually attract more tourists if it is well maintained, including the palatial buildings built by the Maharaja. The Punjab Tourism Board along with the local administration should step in to look after it. It’s after all, no ordinary park.” Cities across the world feel proud of their parks as they also serve as lungs for them. The water reflection pool in Ram Bagh is lying dry. The light and sound show is played only in Punjabi but a large number of tourists visit the city from different parts of the country and abroad who need to be informed about the exploits of the Maharaja in English. Heritage experts lament that against the established norms, the original look of the Summer Palace, a protected monument, has been changed by constructing internal roads, musical fountain and the building of Panorama itself. Maharani Jindan, a message of courage steeped in history Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 28 It is widely known that Maharani Jindan or Maharani Jind Kaur had no trust or faith in the British and wanted to reorganise the Khalsa forces after the demise of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to revolt against the colonial rulers and reestablish the mighty Sikh empire. The youngest wife of last Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh and mother of Prince Duleep Singh, Rani Jindan, was sharp witted, politically aware and resilient, something that made the British fear her and separate the young Prince Duleep Singh from his politically influential mother. Documenting the life and turbulence of Maharani Jindan, the most widely cele- brated female royalty from Punjab in recent times, a special play “Forever Queen: Maharani Jindan” was staged at Art Gallery as part the ongoing Summer Art festival. Presenting key moments from the life of Queen Jind Kaur that shaped her political and cultural trajectory in Sikh empire, the play focused on the period after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Directed by Emmanuel Singh, it depicted how the British knew that only Maharani Jindan had the ability to rule after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, so they cleverly separated her and the child Maharaja Duleep Singh from the kingdom and exiled them. Using dramatic techniques, folk poetry and story- c m y b telling to narrate historical facts in a creative light, the play was based on Shah Muhammad’s poem “Singhaan Tey Farangiyaan”, in which the author himself was made the narrator. The play was written by Dr Atma Singh Gill, with music, design and direction by Emmanuel Singh. It was enacted by Anamika Arts Association, Amritsar. Central scheme. The swift action from the Municipal Corporation is expected to position Amritsar among the leading cities in implementing urban reforms under the national capital investment framework. It is worth mentioning here that the ‘Special Assistance Scheme for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2025-26’ provides financial assistance to state governments for capital expenditure projects. Police seize illicit liquor during raid, 1 arrested Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 28 In a significant operation against illicit liquor trade, the Bhindisaida police seized a huge quantity of illegal liquor and raw materials during a joint raid conducted with the Excise Department under Inspector Jagdeep Kaur in village Bhindisaida. The operation, carried out across multiple locations in the village, resulted in the recovery of 500 kilograms of lahan (fermented mixture used for distillation), 240 litres of illicit liquor, a working distillation unit, a motorcycle and a makeshift cart used in liquor transportation. According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Maninder Singh, the operation was launched following intelligence inputs and included thorough searches of the residences of several suspects. During a search at the house of Darshan Singh and Kashmir Singh, the police recovered 100 kilograms of lahan, 15 litres of illicit liquor, and an active distillation set-up. A case was registered under sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act at Bhindisaida police station. In another part of the operation, the house of Rajbir Singh and Gurmej Singh TIGHTENING NOOSE ■ 500 kg of lahan (fermented mixture used for distillation), 240 litres of illicit liquor, a working distillation unit, a motorcycle and makeshift cart used for transportation were seized by the police. ■ Crackdown is part of a broader and sustained campaign to curb illegal liquor production and sale in Amritsar district. was searched. Gurmej Singh was caught with 150 litres of illicit liquor and a jugadu rehri (improvised cart). A case was registered against them under similar provisions of the Excise Act. Gurmej Singh was taken into custody on the spot. During a third raid at the house of Ratan Singh alias Rattu, the police recovered 400 kilograms of lahan, 75 litres of illicit liquor and a motorcycle. A third FIR was filed under the Excise Act. Further investigation in the case is on. The rural police have described the crackdown as part of a broader and sustained campaign to curb illegal liquor production and sale in the district. SSP Maninder Singh stated that more such operations will be carried out in the coming days to ensure strict enforcement of the law. Over 400 gm heroin seized, three held Tarn Taran, June 28 In a joint operation launched on Friday night in the border village of Dall, the Khalra police and the BSF arrested three persons with 497 grams of heroin. Sub-inspector Sahib Singh of the Khalra police said that the accused have been identified as Jagjit Singh Jeeta, Haroon Singh and Jasbir Singh Vikki of Dall village. Sahib Singh informed here on Saturday that the police noticed the activity of a drone that had come from across the border. The information was shared with the BSF A joint . patrolling party arrested the accused and recovered a packet weighing around 613 grams which contained 497 grams of heroin. — OC