CHANDIGARH (Bharat sandesh) – Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today asked his counterpart in Himachal Pradesh Prof. Prem Kumar Dhumal to seek early clearance from the Ministry of Environment & Forests GoI to pave a way for the setting up of the prestigious project of Ropeway between Sri Anandpur Sahib and Naina Devi through Public Private Partnership mode.
Chairing the 29th meeting of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board here at Punjab Bhawan this morning, Mr. Badal urged Prof. Dhumal telephonically to get the clearances relating to environment, forests and wildlife expedited from the Ministry of Environment & Forests so that the project of immense tourism potential for both the state could be implemented without any further delay. Prof. Dhumal responded in a positive manner and assured the Punjab Chief Minister that he would soon take up the matter with the Union Minister of Environment & Forests at the earliest.
The meeting also approved the Personal Rapid Transit System (PRT system) to be introduced in the holy city of Amritsar. This unique PRT system first of its kind in India and environment friendly would run on elevated track to-and-fro from local bus stand/railway station to Sri Harimandir Sahib and the project would be awarded soon to the competent agency after inviting bids for the said project. Earlier the PRT system existed at Heathrow Airport in London and Abu Dhabi in UAE.
It was also informed in the meeting that PIDB had released funds to the tune of nearly Rs.4112 crore for various infrastructure development projects so far and approximately Rs.3000 had been spent on these works during SAD-BJP regime since 2007. These development works included construction/upgradation of roads, Railway Over Bridges and Railway Under Bridges, high level bridges over rivers, water supply in urban and rural areas, sewerage, modern jails in Faridkot and Kapurthala, upgradation and modernization of hospitals in Amritsar and Faridkot, 15 new colleges, irrigation schemes besides constructions of new hockey/multi-purpose stadia in Gurdaspur and Amritsar under sport sector. Two super specialty Cancer and Cardiac hospitals set up at Bathinda and Mohali in PPP mode by the Max Health Care had been made functional.
The meeting also gave nod to the construction of new bus stand at Zirakpur thereby conceding the long pending demand of the residents of the local area.
Mr. Badal was also apprised in the meeting that the road projects viz. Batala-Mehta-Beas (35.39 KM) at an estimated cost of Rs.68 crore, Kotkapura-Muktsar (30 KM) at Rs.65 crore, Kapurthala-Nakodar-Phillaur (65.98 KM) at Rs.137 crore and Morinda-Kurali-Siswan (29.766 KM) at Rs.71 crore had been approved by the GoI under viability gap Funding (VGF) scheme on Built Operate and Transport basis. Detailed project report for the construction of 74 KM Amritsar-Sri Hargobindpur-Tanda road at a cost of Rs.146 crore was being finalized. Apart from these, road projects along canals including Ropar-Chamkaur Sahib-Neelon Doraha road along Sirhind canal (56 KM) at a cost of Rs.224.31 crore, Manpur Head Works(Doraha near NH-1) to Jagraon-Raikot road along Abohar branch (53.51 KM) at Rs.182 crore, Manpur Head Works (Doraha near NH-1) to Raikot-Barnala road along Bathinda branch (47.44 KM) at Rs.145 crore, Nidhampur (NH-64) to Lehgraghaga road crossing NH-71 along Ghaggar branch (49 KM) Rs.153 crore and Raya (NH-1) to Khara (NB-15) along Sabrahon branch (43.29 KM) at a cost of Rs.75 crore were in the advanced stage of awarding these projects on the basis competitive bidding.
Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Tourism Minister Mr. Hira Singh Gabria, Education Minister Mr. Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Health & Family Welfare Minister Mr. Satpal Gosain, Chief Secretary Mr. SC Agrawal, Principal Secretary Finance Mr. KBS Sidhu, Principal Secretary Tourism Mrs. Geetika Kalha, Managing Director PIDB-cum Secretary Housing & Urban Development Mr. SS Sandhu, Secretary Water Supply & Sanitation Mr. PS Aujla, Secretary Local Govt. Mr. SS Rajput, CA GMADA Mr. Sarabjit Singh and CA PUDA Mr. AS Miglani.
