AMRITSAR, July 18 — The Department of Local Government has issued firm directives to the Amritsar Municipal Corporation to immediately regulate and halt the unchecked rise of high-rise buildings near the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), citing concerns over the obstruction of the shrine’s spiritual and architectural prominence.
In a letter addressed to the Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation, the department, acting under the instructions of Local Government Minister Dr. Ravjot Singh, raised alarm over increasing construction activity around the sacred site. “Darbar Sahib is not just a religious symbol for Sikhs but a spiritual, heritage, and architectural marvel revered globally,” stated Krishan Gopal, Under Secretary, Local Government.
The department directed municipal officials to clamp down on any construction violating norms and to initiate action—ranging from sealing to demolition—against unauthorized structures. Officials have been asked to submit a compliance report within a week outlining the measures taken.
The move comes months after a controversy erupted in March over a multi-storey building being constructed near the Golden Temple to house Sikh Jathedars and priests. The project, led by Kar Seva Bhuri Wale for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), was halted after backlash from religious scholars and heritage activists who feared it would dwarf the Akal Takht Sahib—the temporal seat of Sikhism.
“The sanctity and unimpeded visibility of the Golden Temple must be preserved at all costs,” the letter emphasized, urging authorities to ensure that ongoing and future constructions do not disrupt the visual or spiritual aura of the revered site.
