Durgiana Mandir police post building under civic body lens

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, december 2

The construction of the police chowki at Durgiana Mandir has come under the scanner of the local Municipal Corporation as it has constituted a sub-committee to probe the ownership rights of the land and the previous use of the building.

The step has been taken by the MC after some officials reported that a public library in the name of Sardar Patel used to be run from the place. However, over the decades, the building had been converted into a police chowki.

The police department had earlier asked for the permanent allotment of the land for the construction of police chowki building. Old timers in the city claim that once the then Speaker Prof Darbari Lal had also announced a grant of Rs 15 lakh for the development of the building.

“All the facts point out that the land was used for running the library. However, it needs to be probed that how it came under the police chowki and what happened to the library and its books,” said an MC official on condition of anonymity.

The committee, including Superintending Engineer (civil wing), the Municipal Corporation Estate Office the and Municipal Town Planner (MTP), has been submitted a report regarding past possession and ownership of the building, its present possession and ownership and the investments made by the Punjab Government or the MC on the restoration and renovation of the building.

City residents and book lovers said the old library should be revived at the place as the city was not having enough of public libraries. “The book lovers have to visit other libraries situated miles away from their homes. The administration must start more libraries as for decades governments have been indifferent to their plight,” said Satnam singh, a retired schoolteacher.

MC constitutes committee to investigate land rights on police chowki building, residents demand revival of library.