Punjab Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today fixed deadlines for completion of all ongoing as well as new development projects in Amritsar and also reviewed their status at a high level meeting here today.The meeting, which was attended by State BJP President Kamal Sharma and Local Bodies Minister Anil Joshi besides Amritsar Mayor Bakshi Ram Arora and senior government functionaries reviewed the status of ongoing projects worth Rs 730 crores as well as new projects worth Rs 1309 crore envisaged for the holy city. A total of Rs 2039 crore has been set aside for the holistic development of Amritsar.Among major decisions taken today, it was decided that the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) would be implemented byFebruary 15, 2014 at a cost of Rs 469.54 crore. Work on the project, which will put 150 specialized buses into service in the city, will start by May 16 next year.
As regards the municipal solid waste project for the city, the Deputy chief minister was briefed that the project would be taken up for execution by December 30 this year and that it would be executed within one year that is December 29, 2014. This project involves a cost of Rs 72.49 crore out of which a provision of Rs 20 crore has been made in 2013-14.The Indoor Stadium, which will come up as part of the Sports Complex at Ranjit Avenue will cost Rs 40 crore and work on the same will start in November this year and be completed by May 29 2015. Similarly work on improvement and beautification of the road from Hall Gate to the Golden Temple Plaza Complex which will be taken up at a cost of Rs 25.30 crore will be started by November 30 this year and completed by November 2014. Work on construction of plaza at the Harmandir Sahib is in full swing and work till the first floor will be completed by Diwali this year. The total cost of this project is Rs 78 crore.
The Deputy chief minister was briefed at the meeting that work would start on the new exhibition centre at Amritsar byNovember 30 this year and that the project would be completed by November 29, 2015. As much as Rs 70 crore would be spent on this project out of which Rs 10 crore has been earmarked for the same in 2013-14.Another major project about which Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal was briefed at the meeting included the new Central Jail which will come up in Amritsar at a cost of Rs 179 crore. As much as Rs 60 crore has been earmarked for this project during 2013-14. The project will be initiated by November 15 this year and completed by March 29, 2015.
The Deputy CM was briefed that the ongoing construction of Heritage Village under Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board would also be completed by November 2013. He also reviewed the ongoing construction of Gobindgarh Fort and expressed satisfaction over the work. He said conservation work of Ram Bagh Garden Phase-II and Surface Parking was at on advanced stage of completion. The Deputy CM also disclosed that the state Government would hand over the keys of 130 dwelling units by December this year to slum dwellers.Giving information of ongoing road projects, Mr. Badal said that Amritsar-Ajnala Road from Kitchlu Chowk to Mirankot, four laning of Amritsar-Sohian-Fatehgarh Churian Road, 4 laning of Amritsar-Majitha-Fatehgarh Churian Road, Amritsar-Pathankot-Kandla-Batala Road would be started soon with a completion in June 2014. Mr. Badal said that beautification and improvement of chowk Shaheedan on Amritsar-Tarn Taran-Sarhali-Harike Road was on the advance stage of completion and which would be dedicated to the people in December this year. Mr. Badal also informed that the work of widening and strengthening of GT Road from Bhandari Bridge to Guru Nanak Dev University, beautification and 4 laning of Amritsar-Tarn Taran-Sarhali-Harike Road would start next month. He said that all clearances for ROB at Amritsar-Tarn Taran-Sarhali-Harike road have been issued, where the work would also begin soon.Briefing about the upgradation and modernization of Guru Nanak Auditorium, the Deputy CM said that this world class auditorium would be dedicated to Amritsar residents by October next year. The Deputy CM also informed that Amritsar would also be the first safe “Safe City” in the country with CCTV Cameras set to be installed at 466 locations in the city.