Amritsar, August 1

Conservationists have voiced concerns over losing the historical character around the Golden Temple by replacing old structures with new ones.

Situated in the vicinity of the Golden Temple, they favour preservation of oldest ‘sarai’ Sri Guru Ramdas Ji Niwas, which

the SGPC decided to demolish to pave way

for new construction.

Conservationists are citing both national and international rules to stress the point. Citing the report of the National Commission on Urbanisation, published in 1988, Rajinder Singh Baath, a retired archaeologist of the Department of Cultural Affairs, Archaeology and Museum, pointed out that neither an elevated road nor a flyover or a road-widening scheme was allowed in historical towns.

Baath said the focus must be to preserve the old buildings. Conservation spatial planner Balvinder Singh, retired former head of Sri Guru Ramdas School of Planning, GNDU, said though the ‘sarai’ was constructed in the 1930s, a step inside it showed the simplicity of the pilgrims staying in it.

“Though due to rising number of pilgrims more inns were required with modern amenities amid changing lifestyle, the character of the area should never be changed, as preservation of the character is the basic principle of the architectural conservation,” he said.

“If a new building for pilgrims is constructed, the facade of the old ‘sarai’ with a couple of traditional rooms should be preserved,” he said. — TNS

‘Stop work at excavation site’

A Panthic gathering was held by the Sikh Sadbhawna Dal on Sunday. The activists gave an ultimatum to the SGPC to stop the construction work being done at the site from where a medieval-period structure was discovered during excavation by August 4.