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The under-construction site of the ‘Urban Haat’ in Amritsar. Photo: Vishal Kumar
GS Paul
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, January 10
The state government’s ambitious ‘Urban Haat’ project, a replica of Lahore’s Food Street, is inching towards reality. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, while reviewing development work, announced the project would be dedicated to the public on Baisakhi.
The main reason for the delay is the restoration job being done minutely.
Once completed, the project would surely be an added tourist attraction. It is being developed by refurbishing the abandoned complex of a 124-year old colonial building of Victoria Jubilee (VJ) Hospital. The hospital was named in commemoration of the jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria’s rule. It began functioning here in 1891.
Though the Lahore food street is known only for traditional cuisine, the Amritsar edition would not only be a single stopover for food lovers, but will also offer an opportunity to have a ringside view of Punjabi tradition, culture, art and craftsmanship.
Chairman, Amritsar Development Authority, Sandeep Rishi said it would take a few more months to make the Urban Haat lively. “We want it to be fully operational without leaving any room for error. It would be an apt Baisakhi gift (April 2016) for Amritsar,” he said.
INTACH’s senior conservation architect Ruknuddin Mirza said the biggest challenge before them was to make adaptive use of this heritage building while justifying it in a rational way. “Getting it gel with the cultural quotient was a big challenge for us while outlining the project’s contours,” he said.
PUDA XEN Surjit Singh and SDO Narinderjit Singh, under whose supervision the work is under progress, said not only has the building structure been strengthened, but its major portions have also been restored in their original form.
The prime site is situated nearly a kilometre away from the Golden Temple and the Jallianwala Bagh and would attract visitors who generally leave after visiting the Golden Temple and the Attari-Wagah border retreat ceremony.
Project details
Spread over around 4.5 acres, the Urban Haat would have six blocks (from A to F).
The A block is being transformed into eight suites, guest rooms and dormitories to accommodate the visiting artistes and troupes.
The B block would house the articles exhibiting Punjab’s rich culture and heritage, a souvenir shop, ATM facility and other public-centric utilities.
The food court would cater around 450 persons at a time, has been planned in blocks C and D. The restaurant’s sitting area would have a wooden partition. Around 20 modular kitchens have been readied at the rear for preparing food.
Blocks E and F would have a craft bazaar emporium, administrative complex and meeting hall.
To rejuvenate it further, the famous food joints of Amritsar like the century-old Kesar Da Dhaba, Kundan’s Dhaba, the Kulcha Land and globally famous Makhan Fish, will open their branches in the complex. Besides, international chains like Cafe Coffee Day (CCD) and McDonalds too are being roped in.
Lahore’s food street replica ‘Urban Haat’ to open this Baisakhi
It's going to be blend of both. 
