With the Punjab government declaring Amritsar a holy city, implementing it on the ground could pose a significant challenge for the district administration. Ensuring that local residents, pilgrims, and merchants are not inconvenienced while implementing this decision will be a difficult task. Furthermore, resolving several long-standing civic and law and order issues will be essential to truly sanctify the city.
To purify the city, the first step is to clear the debris, which is a significant problem. In a densely populated city, construction and renovation not only creates debris, but also the civic waste that litters narrow streets, obstructing traffic and creating a foul smell. The menace of stray dogs is also a serious problem, roaming around religious sites and markets, instilling fear in devotees and raising concerns about sanitation and public safety.
Senior health professional and civic reformer Dr. Manik Mahajan says a truly holy city reflects cleanliness, discipline, compassion, and respect for human dignity. “Its essential elements include cleanliness, a peaceful environment, ethical conduct, security, orderly traffic, care for animals and heritage, and collective civic responsibility, which will create an environment that nurtures both spiritual growth and social harmony, and this is what we hope to see when we visit the city,” Manik said.
Traffic congestion remains a serious problem due to narrow roads, heavy vehicular traffic, uncontrolled e-rickshaws, and delivery vehicles, often leading to jams and inconvenience, especially during peak pilgrimage times. Simply shifting meat and liquor shops outside the city walls will not make the city “pure,” but the immoral and illegal activities frequently occurring in some hotels and guest houses also threaten the sanctity of the holy city and require close monitoring, regular inspections, and strict enforcement of the law.