Hindu and Sikh shrines on Punjab-HP border to be linked

Chandigarh, July 18 (IANS) The Punjab cabinet Wednesday approved a Rs.100 crore ropeway project that will link the Sikh gurdwara of Keshgarh at Anandpur Sahib with the Hindu temple of Naina Devi in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.

The cabinet gave its nod to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed between the governments of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh for the project. The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

While the Sikh shrine Takht Keshgarh Sahib is located at Anandpur Sahib, 80 km from here, the Naina Devi shrine is located atop a hill in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh's Bilaspur district, 100 km from here.

Both shrines are located at a distance of about 15 km by road from each other.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office said that a joint venture Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of Sri Naina Devi Ji and Sri Anandpur Sahib Ji Ropeway Company Pvt. Ltd. would be formed to develop this project on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) or public-private partnership (PPP) basis.