Kot Khalsa forgotten, problems mount

Despite being under the jurisdiction of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, the historic village of Kot Khalsa remains severely neglected in terms of basic civic infrastructure. Located just a short distance from Khalsa College on the Amritsar-Cheharta road, the village is home to Gurdwara Bohri Sahib, which is visited daily by hundreds of devotees. Yet, Kot Khalsa greets visitors with broken roads, stagnant rainwater and piles of garbage.

Residents complain that the condition of the main road leading to Gurdwara Bohri Sahib has remained poor for several years. After being left unpaved for a long time, a thin layer of carpeting was eventually laid. However, it was soon dug up for sewer line installation and has since not been repaired. As a result, deep potholes and waterlogging have become permanent features of this sacred route.

Mintu, a local resident, said, “Visitors to the gurdwara often struggle to reach due to the poor road and drainage conditions.”

Apart from the broken roads, drainage and sewerage are pressing issues in Kot Khalsa. Low-lying areas remain waterlogged for days after rain, and in some narrow lanes, sewer water collects, emitting a strong stench and posing health risks. While sewerage problems affect many parts of Amritsar’s West constituency, the situation in Kot Khalsa is worse than elsewhere.

Residents hope that the situation may improve once the capacity of the Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) is increased, but no timeline has been provided by officials.

Adding to the village’s woes, several vacant plots, both government and private, have turned into unofficial garbage dumps. “These empty plots are being used as dumping grounds. No one is lifting the waste regularly,” said Karan Kumar, a local youth.

Although the Amritsar Municipal Corporation is currently running a cleanliness drive across the city and has issued challans for littering in some upscale localities, Kot Khalsa has seen no real improvement. Garbage piles remain untouched and waste removal services are inconsistent at best.

Locals feel abandoned by civic authorities and demand that basic services such as road repairs, drainage solutions and regular garbage collection be prioritised, especially in a village so deeply connected to the spiritual and cultural heritage of the city.

Until then, the people of Kot Khalsa, along with thousands of devotees, will continue to navigate broken roads, stagnant water and garbage-filled streets in a place that deserves far better.

Amritsar