Traffic, waste mgmt should be focused areas: Expert

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 10

Architects must redress the issues of ever-growing traffic as well as waste management while beginning with the construction of new buildings, said architect Surinder Bagha, a member of the advisory committee of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

Addressing a seminar themed ‘Sculpting sustainable Amritsar — workability and viability’ organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a part of the five-day ‘PITEX’ here today, he stated that it was their responsibility to tackle such issues so that no problems regarding infrastructure and sewerage disposal arise in future.

“After the launch of Smart City scheme by the Union government, emphasis is being laid upon planned development of the cities and it requires greater thrust on planning,” he said.

Dwelling at length about the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission Scheme, he urged the architects to bear in mind the demands and issues of the customers while designing their buildings.

Sanjiv Aggarwal, chairman of the Amritsar sub-centre of Indian Institute of Architects (IIA), asserted that Amritsar stood first in the third list of Smart Cities released by the Centre. He underlined the need of creating world-class buildings here which could draw the attention of the visitors coming from across the world.

IIA Punjab Chapter chairman Sanjiv Goyal, Prof Ashwani Luthra of GNDU, Amritsar, and Prof Aradhana Jindal from MM University, Ambala, urged the architect fraternity to keep pace with the changing times.

Punjab Committee chairman of PHDCCI, RS Sachdeva, disclosed that the chamber had successfully organised ‘Archibuild’ in Chandigarh recently and today’s seminar was meant for defining the role of PHDCCI in ensuring planned development of Amritsar.

The PHDCCI also held the start-up Punjab master class, formulated to sensitise the youth of Punjab on schemes and policies of state government for setting up a startup.

He said the Punjabi youth needed a push to unleash their innovative capacities and potential for starting a business venture.

The master class is an initiative to create linkages between the academia, venture capitalist and technology domain experts to suggest ways and means to reinforce the culture of entrepreneurship.