Kapurthala’s Sainik School may be shifted to a new building

To attract tourists, the state government plans to convert the 250-acre Maharaja Jagatjit Singh Palace, built in 1908, into a museum.

During his visit to the city on June 18, local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu had directed the district authorities to draw up a proposal to shift the Sainik School, that was established here in 1961 in 100 acres, to an adjoining building that will be constructed.

“The government will bear the expenses incurred on the new school building and the Jagatjit Palace will become a place of attraction for the tourists,” Sidhu had said.

The proposal to restore the Jagatjit Palace and convert it into a museum was first mooted by Harry Randhawa, the president of the Kapurthala Heritage

Celebration.

“The infrastructure at the palace is outdated for a school to be using it. So, I had proposed shifting the school to a new building. The government should restore the palace and use it as a museum,” he said.

“Heritage buildings like the Jagatjit Palace and the Durbar Room are a treasure house for history buffs and tourists want to visit such places that also have a number of antiques,” Randhawa added.

He added that if the government revived these buildings and converted these into museums and other attraction places, it will be a game-changer for the Kapurthala economy.

Kapurthala deputy commissioner Mohammad Tayyab confirmed that Sidhu had taken a verbal proposal from the district administration to shift the Sainik School.

Sainik School principal Colonel Vikas Mohan said, “We have not received any official information on the shifting of the school.”

In the recent past, the administration had restored the Moorish Mosque and the repair of Gol Kothi is on.

Sources claimed that work on the restoration of Buggey Khana and Gulabi Kothi, popularly known as Bhoot Bangla, will also start soon.