Pilgrim hub Baba Bakala strikes balance between faith, functionality
The holy town of Baba Bakala stands as an epitome of quality living for its fewer than 10,000 residents, wide and clean roads, an efficient sewerage system, a steady supply of clean piped water and regular garbage collection and disposal.
Major problems of the small town located on the Amritsar-Jalandhar GT road were rampant encroachments along the stretch from Darbar Sahib Chowk to the main gate, the continued operation of obsolete Gharukas used to ferry passengers and the long-standing demand for a parking lot near the historic Sikh shrine.
The issue of encroachments on the main road leading to the shrine was resolved after the Nagar Panchayat, following directives from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January, took action. The directive came after Balkar Singh filed a petition seeking intervention. Despite initial success, many shopkeepers and vendors reoccupied the cleared space. About 10 days ago, Nagar Panchayat officials, with police assistance, again seized illegally placed items and demolished encroaching pavements.
Resident Sarbjot Singh remarked, “The move reclaimed the road for pedestrians, which had been encroached upon by shopkeepers, street vendors, autos and Gharukas. It left only a narrow passage for the pedestrians who found it difficult to move ahead and back.”
Gharukas, also known as peter rehras and marutas, are locally fabricated vehicles which are neither manufactured by an automobile company nor tested for road safety mechanism, and continue to be extensively used for carrying schoolchildren, passengers and goods in the tiny holy town. These vehicles fall outside the purview of road safety norms and taxation.
Another major concern was the limited capacity of the langar hall at the historic Gurdwara Baba Bakala, which was addressed over six months ago. The expansion now allows thousands of devotees to partake in langar, compared to only a few hundred earlier.
Local residents Sarbjit Singh and Gurmeet Singh emphasised the urgent need for a spacious and secure parking facility near the gurdwara to accommodate the sangat (pilgrims) visiting from distant places. At present, visitors are forced to park in any available vacant area, walk long distances and leave their vehicles without any assurance of security.
The town also has open grounds that double as sports fields, mainly for hockey and other games, and also serve as venues for political rallies. During the annual Rakhar Punian Mela, the town sees a surge in devotees as well as increased political activity. The SGPC ground at the gurdwara is often used by Shiromani Akali Dal for their rallies, the ruling party uses a government-designated ground and other political parties rent land for their events.
Amritsar