Verandas along parkarma to be redone

Amritsar: Pilgrims visiting the Harimandir Sahib will not have to walk on the parkarma of the holy sarovar in harsh weather as re-doing of the verandahs along the passage is expected to be completed in three to four months.

The verandas in the Harimandir Sahib complex along the parkarma on all four sides give shelter to devotees from harsh weather or rain.

But since the verandas being repaired by devotees and volunteers of kar sewa led by Baba Jagtar Singh have not been in use, the kar sewa for the repair of the corridor has been on for more than one year.

As devotees walk barefoot on open marbled passage to reach the sanctum sanctorum covering the parkarma, they sometimes face harsh nature, particularly in peak summer and winter.

“The repair will be over in three to four months. Two-thirds of the work has been completed towards the Atta Mandi Deori, Bunga Shaheedan and up to the langar hall side,” said Ram Singh, in charge, Publicity Department of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

The verandas are said to be more than 50 years old and their rooftops have got damaged making the SGPC start repair to avert a mishap.

“Last year sewadars detected that the iron bars on the rooftop had got disengaged from the upper side and showing signs of rust. So, repair work was started,” said a volunteer.

Sources in the SGPC pointed out that though a major portion of the verandas had been repaired, yet the SGPC was in a fix over the side where karah parsad was served. “This side is being vacated to facilitate repair,” said an official.