Chandigarh to get 65 key projects worth Rs 669 cr by Oct-end

Tribune News Service

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, June 8

The city is set to get 65 key projects, including floating solar plants, worth Rs 669 crore within the next four months with UT Adviser Dharam Pal directing the departments concerned to complete these by October.

At a recent meeting, the Adviser said a major thrust had been given to generation of green energy in the city so as to achieve the target set by the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The ministry had enhanced the city’s solar power generation target from 69 MW, to be achieved by 2022, to 75 MW, to be met by August 15. So far, the UT has achieved generation of around 55 MW.

Major infra push for residents

• Chandigarh Smart City Ltd told to finish upgrade of sewage treatment plants at Raipur Kalan and Raipur Khurd at a cost of Rs 90.96 crore by Sept 30
• Dept of Engineering asked to prepare synthetic jogging track at Sukhna & Sec 45 community centre by June & work on Dhanas to UT boundary road by July
• Police have been given the task of finishing 10 projects, including setting up of Centre for Cyber Operations and Security, by Oct 31
• CTU told to install Intelligent Transport System on long routes & purchase 60 ordinary buses for long-route operations worth Rs 90 crore by Oct
• Mini sports infra for billiards and snookers at Sports Complex-42 and 400 metre synthetic athletics track in Sector 7 will have to be completed by October
• Work on group home for mentally ill persons in Sector 31 & construction of portion of Block B in GRIID, Sector 31, are also to be completed by October

The Adviser said the Chandigarh Renewable Energy Science and Technology Promotion Society (CREST), which has been designated as an executing agency for renewable energy projects of the Department of Science and Technology, had been directed to complete 23 projects, including the 3,000 kilowatt peak (kWp) floating solar power project worth Rs 15.34 crore on tank Nos. 5 and 6 and 2,500 kWp floating plant on tank Nos. 1 & 2 at the waterworks in Sector 39; 1,320 kWp solar plant at MRF sheds; 1,000 kWp solar power plant at parking shed in IT Park; 800 kWp solar plant at raised structure in the parking area of Sector 42 lake; small plants totalling 500 kWp at various sites in the city; 400 kWp plant at Armed Police Complex at Dhanas; 250 kWp plant at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, etc.

The total cost of the projects was nearly Rs 61.51 crore, he said, adding many of the solar power projects were near completion, while the remaining would be ready by October 31.

According to a list prepared by the departments concerned, the Department of Higher Education had been directed to complete work on a tennis court (synthetic) at PG Government College, Sector 11, by July; construction of hostel block for boys and girls on the campus of Government College of Commerce and Business Administration, Sector 50, and construction of a gymnasium hall by October 31.

Similarly, work on Administrative Block-C at Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology, Sector 26, will be completed by August 30.

Chandigarh Smart City Limited has been directed to complete rehabilitation and upgrade of existing sewage treatment plant on a design, build and operate basis at Raipur Kalan and Raipur Khurd at a cost of Rs 90.96 crore by September 30.

The Department of Engineering has been told to complete the construction of the synthetic jogging track at Sukhna Lake by this month, and construction of a community centre in Sector 45 at a cost of Rs 4.80 crore by the end of this month. The department has also been directed to finish the construction of a road (Dakshin Marg) from Dhanas to UT boundary at a cost of Rs 9 crore and improvement in junctions 60 and 62 at Vikas Marg worth Rs 4 crore by July.

An innovative project of the Child Protection Society — Pathshala Rath — for “creating safe space for children in street situations and other vulnerable children residing in community” under Mission Vatsalya has been directed to be completed by October. The project will run in collaboration with the Department of Education, SCERT and District Child Protection Unit, wherein they will reach out to children across the UT and link them with informal education along with co-curricular activities.

The Chandigarh Police have been directed to complete 10 projects, including setting up of Centre for Cyber Operations and Security, construction of 240 type-2 houses in CAP Complex, Dhanas, and 216 type-2 houses in CAP, Dhanas, by October 31.

Further, the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking has been told to push the implementation of Intelligent Transport System on long routes and national common mobility cards, purchase of 60 ordinary buses for long-route operations worth Rs 90 crore, passenger information screens on all bus queue shelters around the city, retrofitting of diesel buses with CNG kits in around 100 buses by October 2023.

Mini sports infrastructure for billiards and snookers in the Sports Complex-42 and 400 metre synthetic athletics track in Sector 7 will have to be completed by October 25.

Work on group home for mentally ill persons in Sector 31 and construction of remaining portion of Block B in Government Regional Institute for Intellectual Disabilities, Sector 31, are likely to be completed by October 31.

23 solar plants being readied

CREST has been asked to complete 23 solar power generation projects at waterworks in Sector 39; MRF sheds; IT Park; Sector 42 lake, etc. costing Rs 61.51 cr. Centre had enhanced city’s solar power generation target from 69 MW to 75 MW to be met by August 15. So far, the UT has achieved generation of around 55 MW. Many of the solar power projects are near completion, while the remaining will be completed by October 31, says UT Adviser Dharam Pal

Revitalisation of Sector 17

The Engineering Dept says works on construction of tabletop and related works between Neelam Cinema and Urban Park, construction of amphitheatre in Northern Plaza and redevelopment of South Plaza at a cost of Rs 8 crore are in progress and will be completed by August 15