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New Delhi: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has stopped work on the Punjab government’s Heritage Street project at Anandpur Sahib, objecting to construction activity near Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib, one of Sikhism’s five Takhts and a site of immense religious significance.

Contractors engaged by the state Tourism Department were asked to halt excavation for the proposed gate to Heritage Street, with SGPC functionaries expressing concern that the structure could undermine the visual and spiritual prominence of the Takht.

Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said the project had not been discussed with either the SGPC or the Sikh high priests, asserting that any alteration or development in the vicinity of Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib requires the explicit consent of the Sikh Panth. “No construction affecting the sanctity or view of the Takht can proceed without Panthic approval,” he indicated.

The Heritage Street project, conceived on the lines of Amritsar’s Heritage Street, is part of the Punjab government’s plan to beautify Anandpur Sahib ahead of the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The project envisages uniform shop façades, architectural elements reflecting Sikh cultural heritage, improved pedestrian movement, and an enhanced spiritual ambience along the road leading to Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib. According to officials, a majority of shopkeepers operating along the Keshgarh Sahib road had consented to the redevelopment.

Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who represents Anandpur Sahib, said the government would engage with the SGPC to resolve the issue. “Anandpur Sahib is the soul of Sikh history. We will persuade the SGPC so that development and reverence go hand in hand,” he said. Tourism Department sources, however, claimed that the project had earlier received SGPC approval and warned that prolonged delays could lead to the lapse of allocated funds. The standoff has once again highlighted the delicate balance between heritage-led development and Panthic authority at Sikh religious centres, particularly around the Takhts, where questions of consent and sanctity often override administrative considerations.