Bari Imam shrine inner portion to be closed

ISLAMABAD (PPI) - The inner portion of Hazrat Bari Imam Shrine would remain closed for devotees next month (January) in prospect of construction work.
The construction work of multi-million rupees Bari Imam Shrine is in full swing as Capital administration has released the funds of Rs. 80 million. Now after release of funds the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has speedup shrine outer portion construction work. PPI has learnt that Shrine developmental work had stopped by authority concerned due to the lack of funds. The construction work was halt almost one year. The then caretaker Prime Minister Mohmmad Main Soomro had approved the much-awaited developmental project of Hazrat Bari Imam Shrine of Rs. 641 million in year 2007.
According to the past issued plan Shrine have to cover 300 kanals of land and new shrine is being construction according to Islamic architecture. The new construction includes a mosque, private rooms and halls for devotees, Aukaf office, main compound and public toilets. The adjoining road leading to Quaid-e-Azam University would have also to be widened.
Project would have to be completed into two phases in first phase Rs. 302 million and in second phase Rs. 339 million could be spent on this project. But now passing one year the shrine development and renovation work is still hanging at same spot.
It was worth to mention that the shrine development project was hanging in balance for the last three years but in 2007 the project approved by Muhmmdmin Soomro.
Thousands of devotees visit the shrine of the 16th century saint from across the country every year. The number of devotees increases to hundreds of thousands during the last five day annual Urs. Syed Abdul Latif Shah Kazmi, popularly known as Hazrat Barri Imam.
Two former Prime ministers including Late Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif had both announced renovation of the shrine on the pattern of the shrine of Data Gunj Bukhsh in Lahore.