Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today sought more funds from the centre under the Smart City project besides announcing construction of an elevated road in the city at a cost of Rs 1100 crore.While addressing a press conference here, Mr Badal said the centre should allot at least Rs 2,500 crore for Ludhiana because an amount of Rs 500 crore was not sufficient for overall development of the city. He said the State was willing to invest Rs 500 crore under this project for Ludhiana city alone.The Deputy CM also said that for finding a permanent solution to the traffic congestion in Ludhiana, the state government was coming up with Rs 1100 crore project under which an elevated road would be constructed in the city, which would start from Samrala Chowk and end at Octroi Post on Ferozepur Road.
Mr Sukhbir Badal said under the Safe City project, high resolution CCTV's would be installed in 160 different places in the city which would help in checking crime in Ludhiana. He said the first phase of this project would be completed by November this year.While replying to a question related to the Sahnewal airport, the Deputy CM said this airport could not function properly due to some technical problems. He said now he had taken up this matter with the Civil Aviation Ministry and had requested it to construct civil terminals at the Halwara Air Force Station which could be used as a domestic airport.Mr Badal also assured the city residents that by January 2016 all roads in Ludhiana would be free from potholes as the State was coming up with a comprehensive project. He said for better and effective cleaning of city roads, Italian made automatic cleaning machines would be deputed in all cities of the state in next two months time. He said several Sewa Kendras were also coming up in the state under which all citizen centric facilities would be provided under a single roof.Taking an aim at Aam Aadmi Party, the Deputy CM said AAP was a party whose dictator was Arvind Kejriwal. He said now everyone knew that there was nothing called democracy in AAP, besides the fact that the party had failed to fulfill all its promises. He said the Lokpal was yet to take final shape in Delhi, even as taxes had been increased.
Mr Sukhbir Badal also said that all national highways and state highways of Punjab would be upgraded by spending Rs. 5,000 crore. He informed that NHAI has finalised the DPR for 6-laning with alignment starting from Sector-39 junction Chandigarh following NH-21 and NH-95 up to Samrala Chowk in Ludhiana under BOT Mode. He also informed that a ring road project around Ludhiana city under NHDP on EPC mode is also under process.Mr Badal informed that to ease traffic congestion in Ludhiana city, Punjab Government has constructed a 4-lane Southern Bypass around Ludhiana starting from NH-1 near Doraha and connecting NH-95 (Ludhiana-Moga section) just outside the city along Sidhwan Canal. He further stated that this project would be extended and would be connected with NH-1 near village Ladhowal towards Jalandhar side. With extension of this Southern Bypass up to Ladhowal, Jalandhar bound traffic would not have to enter the Ludhiana city and also give relief to urban traffic. The length of this proposed Greenfield Bypass would be 16.58 Km.Prior to this, the Deputy CM attended a function on road safety organised by a vernacular daily at Pal Auditorium, here. Later, he laid the foundation stone of repair and construction of city roads near Nehru Rose Garden, here. The Deputy CM also laid the foundation stone of a Community Health Centre near Shimlapuri and a Skill Development Centre in ITI on Gill Road, here.Mr Satpal Singh, a Municipal Councillor, also joined Shiromani Akali Dal in the presence of Deputy CM at village Lohara. On the occasion, the Deputy CM announced a grant of Rs 10 crore for constructing all roads of the village and Rs 5 crore for developing a Sports Park on land where a pond is situated in the village.
He also visited the house of Hero Cycles founder Late Mr O P Munjal and shared his heartfelt sympathies with his family. Deputy CM also visited the houses of Punjab SSS Board member Mrs Surinder Kaur Dyal, Akali councillor Mr Jagbir Singh Sokhi, SOI Zonal President Mr Meetpal Singh Dugri, Mayor Mr Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria, SAD District President Mr Harbhajan Singh Dang, councillor Mr Kamaljit Singh Karwal and former councillor Mr Kulwant Singh Dukhiya. He also visited ailing Akali leader Mr Amarjit Singh Bhatia at Hero DMC Heart Institute, here.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Irrigation Minister Mr Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Advisor to CM Mr Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, former minister and District Planning Committee chairman Mr Hira Singh Gabria, MLA's Mr Manpreet Singh Ayali, Mr Ranjit Singh Dhillon, former MP Mr Amrik Singh Aliwal, Mayor Mr Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria, SAD District President Mr Madan Lal Bagga, Media Advisor to Deputy CM Mr Jangveer Singh, besides several others.