Punjab CM seeks more international flights

As Punjab gears up for the mega celebration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday sought more flights to Amritsar from countries with a strong Punjabi population, even as he approved the schedule of activities being organised to mark the historic event.

The Chief Minister has written to Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri, urging him to prevail upon international airline operators, including Air India, to schedule more special international flights to Amritsar, in order to facilitate 'Khule Darshan Didar' during the historic occasion.

Amarinder Singh, in his letter, said that more flights from countries like the UK, Canada, the US, Germany, besides Italy, Australia and New Zealand, during the celebrations, would facilitate devotees from across the globe to visit and pay obeisance at Sultanpur Lodhi and Dera Baba Nanak, amongst other religious places in the state.

Pointing to the massive enthusiasm amongst the Punjabi diaspora for the Prakash Purb, to be celebrated on November 12, the Chief Minister said: "We all are blessed to be witnessing this momentous occasion in our lifetimes."

The state and its people were all geared up to celebrate the iconic moment in a befitting manner to commemorate the memory of Guru Nanak Dev, the Chief Minister said, adding that elaborate programmes, as well as infrastructural and development projects dedicated to Guru Sahib's memory, had been planned for the occasion.

Meanwhile, an international conference on Guru Nanak's philosophy of peace, harmony and human happiness would be organised on November 7 in Chandigarh.

The foundation stone of the National Institute of Inter-Faith Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar would be laid on November 8, with an Ik-Noor Inter Faith conclave.

The Guru Nanak Dev Ji Utsav at Dera Baba Nanak would also be inaugurated on the same day, followed by a light and sound show, the Guru Nanak Literature Festival, the Guru Nanak Art Festival, the Guru Nanak Kavi Darbar in all Indian languages, the Guru Nanak Theatre Festival and Guru Nanak Film Festival.

After the proposed opening of the Kartarpur Corridor on November 9, the Chief Minister would felicitate 550 prominent personalities from all walks of life at Guru Nanak Dev Auditorium in Kapurthala, according to an official spokesperson.

The Guru Nanak Literature Festival and other major events would be held at Dera Baba Nanak on November 10.IANS