The work on developing Ludhiana into a “Smart City” has started. The first meeting of Board of Directors of Ludhiana Smart City Ltd was held at Circuit House, here today, which was chaired by Chief Secretary and Chairman of Ludhiana Smart City Ltd Mr Sarvesh Kaushal. During the meeting, it was decided that under this five year project, the design would be prepared in four months time and the development would be carried out based on this particular design.While speaking to media persons after this meeting, Mr Sarvesh Kaushal said that under this project, a total of Rs 1100 crore would be spent, for which 50 percent would be contributed by the Centre government and remaining 50 percent by Punjab government. Besides this, the Special Purpose Vehicle would itself generate resources.He said that the Ludhiana Smart City Ltd has been established for preparing the design of Smart City, its implementation as well as supervision. The Chief Secretary of Punjab government would be its Chairman, while the Directors would include Mayor Municipal Corporation Ludhiana, Deputy Commissioner, MC Commissioner.
A CEO would be appointed within next two months for the smooth functioning of this company. Besides this, Project Management Consultant would also be appointed and the company would have its separate staff and office.Mr Kaushal informed that for carrying development under the Smart City project, two different formats would be adopted, which include Area Based Development and Pan City Development. In Area Based Development, basic facilities would be provided in the chosen area. This area would have environment friendly and ultra modern facilities, which would act as a torch bearer for the whole city. In Ludhiana, Ferozepur Road has been chosen for this purpose.This meeting was also attended by Mr Rajinder Gupta, prominent businessman and vice chairman Punjab State Planning Board, Prof Rajinder Bhandari, vice chairman Punjab State Planning Board, Mr Vikas Pratap Singh, Secretary, Local Bodies Department, Punjab, Mr J M Balasubramaniam, CEO, Punjab Municipal Basic Infrastructure Development Company, Mayor Mr Harcharan Singh Gohalwaria, Police Commissioner Mr Jatinder Singh Aulakh, Deputy Commissioner Mr Ravi Bhagat, MC Commissioner Mr Ghanshyam Thori, ADC (D) Miss Apneet Riyait, besides other members and officials.
WHAT IS AREA BASED DEVELOPMENT AND PAN CITY DEVELOPMENT:
Mr Sarvesh Kaushal informed that the Area Based Development would include landscaping, landscaping along the footpath and efforts would be made for saving water on Ferozepur Road. Besides this, the city would be made free from flex hoardings and digital hoardings would be encouraged instead. He said that the footpaths would be made better, separate cycle track would be constructed, plans would be formulated for providing bicycles on rent, BRTS and Smart Bus Stops would be constructed on Ferozepur Road, solar power e-rickshaws would be run, promoting smart parking in shopping malls, construction of multi level parking, construction of ROB on Pakhowal Road, making Ghumar Mandi vehicle free, developing bicycle track along Sidhwan Canal, smart metering, making water supply better, checking of sewerage overflow by installing meters under Waste Water Management, make system for rainwater harvesting, placing of garbage bins under Solid Waste Management Scheme, mechanical sweeping of roads, making cables underground, providing security, developing and maintaining parks and open spaces for optimum utilization, solar powered streetlights, besides others.In Pan City Development, projects would be implemented in whole of city. This would include running of GPS enabled and solar powered e-rickshaws, GIS/GPS enabled information systems, Central Command centre, connecting with NPR and Aadhaar Card, construction of 37 centres which are connected with website in the city, besides several others.