The 27th meeting of Punjab Regional and Town Planning Development Board under the chairmanship of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today finally approved the amendment to rename master plan Mullanpur as master plan 'New Chandigarh'.A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of Board here at Punjab Bhawan, this evening.Taking part in the deliberations of the meeting, the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is the co-chairman of the Board, envisioned developing 'New Chandigarh' as the world class town with the ultra modern civic amenities and infra structure. He asked the Punjab Country and Town Planning Department to ensure the pision of master plan into sectoral grids with each sector having adequate internal road circulation so that the entire master plan could be implemented efficiently in a result oriented manner on the pattern of Chandigarh.The Board also approved the upcoming vegetable market established by the Punjab Mandi Board to be located in sector 65-A at SAS Nagar (Mohali). This decision was necessitated to enable the vegetable market to have its proper address as the Mandi didn't fall under any sector of Mohali.
In another significant decision, the Board constituted an executive committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary with Financial Commissioner Revenue, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Principal Secretaries/ Secretaries Commerce and Industry, Rural Development and Panchayat, Local Government, Environment, PWD, Agriculture and Housing & Urban Development as members so as to take routine decisions with regard to master plans in the absence of regular meetings of board. However, the final decision regarding the master plans would be taken by the Board itself. The Board also gave approval for effecting certain amendments in the master plans of Ludhiana and Jagroan in the larger public interest.The Deputy Chief Minister asked the Country and Town Planning Department to evolve an effective marriage palace policy in the master plans of SAS Nagar and 'New Chandigarh' to ensure that atleast 50% of the total parking requirement of the marriage palace should be underground to avert the situation of traffic congestion on the abutting roads which becomes a potent hazard for frequent road accidents and mishaps. He pointed out under the said policy the agency which had been entrusted with the task of preparing master plan of 'New Chandigarh' should specify a separate pocket for the marriage palaces with compulsory underground parking lot. Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal also emphasized that the minimum area for group housing in 'New Chandigarh' and SAS Nagar master plan should be 10 acres in mixed land use zones.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Mr. Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon, Financial Commissioner Revenue Mr. NS Kang, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister Mr. PS Aujla, Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Mr. A Venuprasad, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar, Special Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Manvesh Singh Sidhu, CA GMADA Mr. AK Sinha, Director Local Government Mr. Priyanka Bharti, Director Rural Development and Panchayat Mr. SK Karunaraju and Chief Town Planner Mr. Harnek Singh Dhillon.