A long-pending demand of the Mand area was approved by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday, as he announced that construction of a road on the Dhussi bundh of the Sutlej river would begin soon.The strengthening of the Dhussi bundh and a pucca road on it has been a long-pending demand of the area due to recurring flood damage.The Chief Minister said the tender for the road from Gidderpindi to Phillaur would be issued on Thursday, and construction would commence shortly thereafter.Mann made the announcement after arriving at Nirmal Kutiya, Seechewal, to pay obeisance at a religious congregation organised on the 38th annual Barsi of Sant Avtar Singh.The CM said all necessary arrangements would be made in advance this monsoon season to prevent any damage.He emphasised that, in line with the Gurus’ teachings, the time had come for people to adopt Gurbani in their lives and restore Punjab’s natural ecology and heritage.The Chief Minister, along with Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal, inaugurated the new astroturf at Sant Avtar Singh Memorial Hockey Stadium. Sant Seechewal had provided a grant of Rs 23.04 lakh from his MP fund for installing the astroturf in Seechewal village.Responding to a demand to lay astroturf on the main ground, the Chief Minister announced that an international-level hockey stadium would be constructed there.Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan also paid tribute to Sant Avtar Singh. AAP Punjab affairs in-charge Manish Sisodia was also present at the congregation.Sant Jagjit Singh Lopon, Sant Pragat Nath, Sant Baldev Krishan, Sant Amrik Singh Khukhrain, Sant Gurcharan Singh Pandwan Wale, Sant Gurmej Singh, Sant Sukhjit Singh Seechewal, Baba Bhupinder Singh Patiala Wale, Baba Jeet Singh from Haryana, Jathedar Fateh Singh Aul, and Baba Deepak Singh, along with other saints and a large number of devotees, attended the event.