The expansion of Amritsar

RAI Bahadur Gopal Das Bhandari, the veteran Municipal Commissioner of Amritsar, is doing valuable public service by drawing attention to the sadly congested condition of that important and densely-peopled town. Judged by situation and environment, Amritsar is in a doubly unfortunate position. It is not only water-logged, being situated in a hollow, but is also cramped for want of room for expansion. From the latter point of view it is like a rat-hole, from which the inmates cannot escape, whatever might be the conditions of life inside. Although the city wall was demolished, mainly towards the south and east sides of the city, it has proved infructuous so far as expansion of the town is concerned. On the west the city is bounded by the Govindgarh fort and its outlying area, and by the Amritsar—Patti Railway line. On the north and north-west are the Rambagh gardens, the Mall and the Civil Lines, thus laying the bounds to the expansion of the city, the intervening space between the city, and the garden having taken up by trade, mostly in hides.