Ex-MP Sidhu's pending projects in city invite CPS's ire

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 25

Amid fresh confrontation between CPS Navjot Kaur Sidhu and the state government, the former has alleged that there has still been no headway in the pet projects of her husband, Navjot Singh Sidhu, that were "scuttled" by the powers that be even after two years.

Among these projects are setting up of a solid waste management project, two flyovers, expansion of Bhandari Bridge, multi-purpose sports complex at Ranjit Avenue and installation of CCTV cameras in the city.

She said either these projects were scuttled or diverted or given a distinct look to show them in a different light.

Having played on best of the sports grounds in the world during his cricketing career, Sidhu attempted to introduce a world-class multi-purpose sports stadium here. The Amritsar Improvement Trust gave 15 acres of land for construction of the stadium with the purpose to host important sports events besides providing world-class sports infrastructure to encourage players, including building an aquatic centre comprising an Olympic-size pool, a spectator gallery with a seating capacity for 2,000 persons.

Sidhu along with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal had laid the foundation stone for a multi-purpose indoor games arena which would host two basketball, four badminton games, gymnastics, table tennis, judo and boxing events with a seating capacity for 7,500 persons.

All these grounds were to be made operational by 2013. Later, however, because of litigation, the Improvement Trust had to abandon the plan.

The second most sought after project was the installation of CCTV cameras at key locations in the city with a view to keep tabs on the rising crime graph. Instances of rash driving, snatchings and other crimes are rampant on city roads. Apart from locals, tourists have also become victims of these crimes.

Even after a lapse of over four years, Sidhu’s announcement of a Rs 5-crore project with much fanfare could hardly find any favour till date.

The project was picked up by the state government. State Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa announced a budgetary allocation for the CCTV camera project which is to be implemented in other leading cities of the state as well. However, there has been no word after that.

Another major project for which Sidhu had lobbied hard was the solid waste management project. He along with his Chief Parliamenrtary Secretary (CPS) wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu had filed a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and personally pleaded in the court that the holy city is stinking due to mismanaged garbage collection and disposal system. For years, the issue was involved in litigation. Now, the civic authority has finalised a site but the residents of the area are agitating against its location.

It was his vision to renovate all railway overbridges in the city as they had shrunken with time due to multifold increase in the traffic.

However, the expansion of Bhandari Bridge, which connects old Amritsar with the Civil Lines area, and is considered the lifeline of the city, is still hanging fire. He lobbied with the Railways and managed to bring in a team of its engineer to survey the bridge after RITES prepared a report.

He even batted for a road between Haripura and the railway colony B block to reduce the flow of traffic from Gate Khazana and beyond it to Bhandari railway overbridge. This could also not be realised.

As an MP, he shelled out Rs 1 crore from his own pocket to launch the "Go Green Go Clean" project for the city. Even though the project was started, it all fizzled out with the passage of time due to lack of maintainance of plants by government agencies.

He batted for revival of several flights from Guru Ram Dass International Airport, Amritsar. He held a series of meetings and wrote several letters to the Civil Aviation Ministry and even to Air India for resumption of direct flights from Amritsar to England and Canada. However, it did not yield the desired results.