Roads linking places visited by Sikhism founder to be renamed 'Guru Nanak Marg': Pb govt

As part of its plan to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of the first Sikh Guru, the Punjab government has decided to rename as 'Guru Nanak Marg' the roads linking various places across the state, which the Sikhism founder had visited.

The Congress government in Punjab has also decided to take up these places for special development, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh announced today after chairing a meeting of the executive committee formed to finalise modalities for the celebrations to be held on a global scale.

Singh also constituted a high-level committee to coordinate with various organisations to build public support for the mega celebrations.

The celebrations will be centred around the theme of 'Nanak Naam Chardikala, Tere Bhane Sarbat Da Bhala' (the essence of Guru Nanak Dev's ideology of all pervasive love, harmony, peace, compassion and amity).

The committee has been tasked with collaborating with experts and historians, as well as representatives of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Sant Samaj, an official release said here.

The committee comprises Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, Cooperation Minister and MLA from Dera Baba Nanak Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and MLA from Sultanpur Lodhi Navtej Singh Cheema.

The chief minister said he would soon write to his counterparts in other states, urging them to undertake special development of infrastructure in places visited by Guru Nanak Dev.

He said he would also urge the chief ministers of these states to make suitable arrangements for devotees, or those desirous of visiting Punjab from their states during the commemorative celebrations.

The chief minister said he would also exhort the Ministry of External Affairs, to take up the issue of sprucing up religious shrines, associated with Guru Nanak Dev, with appropriate authorities in various countries visited by the first Sikh Guru.