Chandigarh Administration yet to initiate work on making GIS-based master plan, RS told

The Chandigarh Administration is yet to start work on the preparation of GIS-based master plan under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had initiated the sub-scheme for 500 AMRUT cities for geo-data base creation and GIS-based master plan formulation.

“Under this sub-scheme, Chandigarh and Panchkula have been included. So far, an amount of Rs 74.30 lakh (Rs 17.44 lakh for Chandigarh and Rs 56.86 lakh for Panchkula) has already been released. Chandigarh has not initiated the work, whereas a draft master plan has been formulated for Panchkula, while Mohali is not covered under the sub-scheme,” stated Tokhan Sahu, Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs in the Rajya Sabha in response to a question raised by MP Satnam Singh Sandhu.

Under the Smart City Mission, all projects amounting to Rs 2,694 crore have been completed in Chandigarh, stated the Minister, and added that Central assistance of Rs 490 crore had been released and utilised for Chandigarh Smart City.

Further informing about the integrated development plan for the Tricity, the minister said that projects worth over Rs 1,200 crore had been approved across the three cities under major urban schemes such as AMRUT and the Smart Cities Mission. He further said that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs had issued Urban and Regional Development Plan Formulation and Implementation guidelines to promote sustainable regional planning, including a regional planning approach for states and UTs.

Under AMRUT, launched in June 2015, the Centre had approved projects focussed on water supply, sewerage and septage management, storm water drainage and green spaces and parks to improve urban infrastructure and service delivery.

In Chandigarh, a total of 12 projects worth Rs 257.41 crore have been taken up under AMRUT. These include seven water supply projects worth Rs 35.87 crore, two sewerage/septage management projects worth Rs 20 crore and three green spaces and park projects worth Rs 13.4 crore. All these projects have been completed, the minister informed the House.

In Panchkula, eight AMRUT projects worth Rs 69.36 crore have been undertaken. These comprise three water supply projects worth Rs 28.73 crore, three sewerage/septage management projects worth Rs 39.81 crore and two green spaces and park projects worth Rs 0.82 crore, all of which have been completed.

In Mohali, six AMRUT projects worth Rs 126.11 crore have been taken up, including two water supply projects worth Rs 107.7 crore, two sewerage/septage management projects worth Rs 17.34 crore and two green spaces and park projects worth Rs 1.07 crore. The projects have been completed, the minister said.

Under AMRUT 2.0, further approvals have been granted across the Tricity. In Chandigarh, six projects worth Rs 175.08 crore have been approved, including two water supply projects worth Rs 115.08 crore and four sewerage/septage management projects. In Mohali, three projects worth Rs 30.57 crore have been sanctioned, covering sewerage/septage management and rejuvenation works. In Panchkula, one project worth Rs 25 crore has been approved.

On the Smart Cities Mission, the minister said Chandigarh Smart City Limited has completed all 46 approved projects worth Rs 2,694 crore as of January 15, 2024.