Big push for P'kula development

To have metropolitan authority on lines of Gurugram, says Khattar

What’s in the offing

60-acre film city in Pinjore

To big hospitals in Sector 32 and 5-C

Better education, tourism facilities

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 8

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced the setting up of the Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority (PMDA) on the lines of the bodies established in Gurugram and Faridabad.

He said it would help in executing an integrated development plan. He said Panchkula was a part of the tricity, but lagged behind Mohali.

Addressing the media in the presence of Speaker Gian Chand Gupta, the Chief Minister said Panchkula would be developed as a hub of medical, education and tourism facilities and industrial investment.

He said to promote Panchkula as a destination for real estate, external development charges (EDC) and infrastructure development charges (IDC) were slashed by almost one-third in Panchkula, bringing these on a par with those in Mohali and Zirakpur.

He said there were two sites for big hospitals, one in Sector 32 and the other in Sector 5-C, which would be auctioned soon. He said a food and drug testing lab was being opened in Sector 3 at a cost of Rs22 crore.

“At Thapli in Morni, a panchkarma centre is being set up under the Ayush Department. A nursing college is also being planned for the city while the National Institute of Fashion Technology is coming up in Sector 23,” he said.

He said efforts were being made to develop Barwala as an industrial township and the IT Park in Panchkula would be operated in collaboration with the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).

He said Morni would be developed as a tourist destination. He said paragliding activities would start at Morni on June 20. Besides, 10 trekking routes had been identified. “We are exploring the possibility of home stay or farmhouse stay facilities for trekkers,” he said.

He talked about setting up Nakshatra Vatika, Sugandh Vatika and Rashi Van on 20 acres along the Morni road from Panchkula.

Focusing on Pinjore, he said a film city was being planned on 60 acres. “It will comprise indoor studios,” he said.

He said the government had decided to shift the Sector 23 dumping ground to Jhuriwala by December 31. He said the work to connect Panchkula with the Chandigarh airport was in progress. He said an air taxi service might start from Pinjore.

“Roads are being widened for ensuring smooth traffic to tourist places. Roads connecting Panchkula-Mandhana- Morni-Tikkartal-Raipur Rani are also being widened for hassle-free movement of tourists, while the construction of a road to connect Ramgarh with Himachal Pradesh will start soon,” he said.