Viewers' gallery at Attari to get major facelift

In a major facelift of the Attari check-post, the CPWD is taking a slew of steps to construct a new visitor gallery that will increase the seating capacity to more than two-fold.
As per the plan, the seating capacity of the viewers' gallery at the check post near Punjab will be increased from the present 5,000 to 13,525.
The gallery project is likely to be completed by December 2016. The work for the first phase is sanctioned at a cost of Rs 24 crore.
In the first phase, new gallery, museum, exhibition space cum souvenir shop, 20-bedded lounge room, 31-seater conference hall, dining hall with kitchen, 11 rooms and a barrack for guards will be constructed.

A parking lot for 85 vehicles near the viewers' gallery will also be provided as per the plan.
In the second phase, cafeteria, musical fountain, statue area, a waiting area for visitors, toilet blocks, visitors' parking and landscaping besides four lifts in the gallery will be built.

Giving the facelift to the joint check post at Attari, which is frequented by thousands of tourists everyday, is a challenging task for CPWD as the new gallery is to be built after demolishing the existing one and without hindering the retreat ceremony at sunset.
The work will be taken in blocks so that sufficient space remains available for the visitors during all stages of construction.

The foundation stone for the new visitors' gallery was laid by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on March 22.