As 2026 enters its final stretch, Amritsar is gearing up to celebrate its 450th anniversary in 2027. Founded by Sri Guru Ram Das Ji and initially known as Ramdaspur, Amritsar has witnessed centuries of profound history, including the glorious reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Nearly four-and-a-half centuries after its founding, Amritsar has emerged as a globally recognised city on the world map. The city is widely regarded as a premier spiritual, religious, cultural, and tourist hub. Home to the Golden Temple, Amritsar serves as the spiritual centre of Sikhism. Data shows that, on an average, 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh devotees visit the Golden Temple daily, with the World Book of Records recognising it as one of the most-visited places of worship in the world.
Amritsar also stands tall with historic monuments such as Jallianwala Bagh and Gobindgarh Fort. The city witnessed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on Baisakhi, April 13, 1919, in which scores of innocent people were killed, shattering faith in justice under British colonial rule. Gobindgarh Fort displays the rich culture and legacy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, while the Partition Museum helps us understand the trauma of 1947 and its deep emotional impact on human lives. Situated within 30km of the international border, Amritsar bore the brunt of Partition both emotionally and physically.
Over the years, the city rebuilt itself. Beyond its spiritual identity, Amritsar was enriched by the presence of prestigious educational institutions, including Khalsa College, Guru Nanak Dev University, Hindu College, Government Medical College, Indian Institute of Management, and Sri Guru Ram Das University of Health Sciences.
Amritsar was chosen as a Smart City under the Government of India’s Smart City Mission Programme in 2016. This project aims to uplift the quality of life of selected urban centres along with sustainable economic growth.
There is no doubt that Amritsar has progressed well since its inception; however, it still faces challenges to becoming a truly future-ready urban centre. In particular, even a decade after Amritsar was included in the Smart Cities Mission, the city continues to face structural barriers.
First and foremost is the infrastructure issue. Preserving the heritage of the historic Walled City while upgrading its civic infrastructure to accommodate rapid urban growth remains a formidable task. Being home to the Golden Temple, the area faces an acute shortage of parking space. The heavy influx of pilgrims and tourists places pressure on existing parking lots. Though dedicated parking is available, the arrangement often falls short given the sheer volume of visitors.
To improve internal connectivity, a mobility initiative—the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS)—was launched in December 2016 at an estimated cost of around ₹600 crore. However, operational bottlenecks prevented the project from functioning as desired. Despite efforts to revive the system, the initiative has struggled to regain its lost momentum. Had this project been implemented successfully, it could have made a significant contribution toward easing the city’s traffic congestion. Recently, an announcement was made regarding the launch of 100 electric buses in Amritsar in early December 2026; if rolled out as planned, they will certainly help relieve the gridlock.
Another major challenge is waste management, which carries serious implications for environmental quality and public health. Like most growing cities, Amritsar continues to struggle with the accumulation and safe disposal of solid waste. More than 10 lakh metric tonnes of waste have accumulated at the Bhagtanwala dumping site over the years, raising environmental and health concerns. A sustainable waste management strategy is urgently required.
Another handicap is the long-term decline in trade. Once a commercially viable gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia, Amritsar suffered a blow in trade and commerce following Partition. Domestically, there is a persistent lack of investment, as business owners remain reluctant to establish industrial units near the sensitive international border.
Equally disadvantageous for Amritsar is that cross-border trade remains disrupted due to volatile bilateral relations with Pakistan. Consequently, Amritsar has been unable to convert its traditional land-route advantage into lasting economic gains. Sincere efforts aligned with present-day realities are required to attract fresh investment and restore economic dynamism to the city.
As Amritsar prepares for its historic 450th anniversary, it must overcome these key structural barriers—specifically in infrastructure, sanitation, solid waste management, transit connectivity, and trade—at the earliest.
The writer is professor, University Business School at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. Views expressed are personal.