YEARENDER: Expansion goals, infra hurdles: Mohali walked a tightrope
City drew significant investments even as monsoon fury dealt severe damage to roads and civic infrastructure
Mohali, the Gateway City of Punjab, is evolving fast. The past few years have seen high-rise buildings, shopping districts, institutions of national importance altering the city’s landscape. In 2025, the city walked a tightrope, balancing its ever-growing ambition with infrastructural challenges.
The year began on a positive note, with relief for Zirakpur, Dera Bassi road users coming in the form of Singhpura flyover opening in January — albeit after three missed deadlines.
The city got another boost in the form of the Surveillance and Traffic Management System, which became operational on March 6. Installed at a cost of Rs 21.6 crore, the upgrade came with CCTV cameras on key junctions and crucial points to keep an eye on traffic offenders and anti-social elements.
The arrival of monsoon, however, spelled doom as heavy rainfall and flooding left parts of Mohali battered and bruised. Several roads, causeways and bridges suffered considerable damage, while around 2,000 hectares of agricultural land and crop was damaged in September. Rivers swallowed two persons, damaged 22 buildings and swept away two cattlehead in the Dera Bassi.
Tiwana, Khajoor Mandi, Sadhanpur, Sarseeni, Alamgir, Dangdhera, Mubarikpur, Mirpur and Bakarpur were the worst affected. Around 7,000 residents of five villages in New Chandigarh had a tough time as road access remains disrupted. Diarrhoea deaths also continued to rock the district, with three casualties and more than 150 cases of diarrhoea-like symptoms being reported in Nabha village of Zirakpur.
October, meanwhile, brought in a Rs 728-crore investment in the form of a Power Outage Reduction Plan for the district. A major leap in power infrastructure development, the project was aimed ensuring uninterrupted power supply, improved voltage stability, and better service delivery to domestic, commercial and industrial consumers. Mohali was also designated the headquarters of the newly carved East Zone of PSPCL, with a Chief Engineer posted to oversee operations from Nangal to Lalru divisions.
Continuing the infra push, the Centre announced its plan to invest Rs 4,500 crore over the next three years to modernise and expand the Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali, in November. Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Ravneet Singh Bittu said the expansion will include a large-scale increase in production capacity, targeting 100 times production of wafers from current levels.
The 443-cr Mohali-Rajpura broad-gauge rail link moved closer to reality with the Punjab government initiating the land acquisition process for the project. The link is being tipped as key in cutting freight costs for industries, warehouses and reduced road traffic on Chandigarh-Patiala stretch.
Ambition also translated into expansion with the Punjab government setting into motion its real estate development plan by acquiring over 5,100 acres in Mohali and nearby areas. A total of 3,535 acres would be acquired for developing Blocks E to J of the Aerotropolis extension, and 524 acres for Sectors 87 (commercial), 101 (partial) and 103 (industrial). Ecocity-2 and Ecocity-3 too are set for expansion.
Mohali Municipal Corporation, meanwhile, expanded its limits, almost doubling it in terms of budget and area. Aerocity, IT City, Sectors 81 to 95, Sectors 73-74 (Industrial Area) and Sector 57 and 14 adjoining villages were part of the plan. Some of the key àreas were left out with residents complaining of step-motherly treatment.
Punjab Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (PILBS) Mohali conducted the first liver transplant surgery on November 27.
Mohali also took the spotlight for crime towards the back end of the year. In October, CBI arrested Ropar Range DIG Harcharan Singh Bhullar in connection with a graft case from his office in District Administrative Complex, Mohali. Around Rs 5 crore cash, 1.5 kg gold, high-end watches were seized from his house in Chandigarh.
Besides, the Rana Balachauria murder case acted as a reminded of the pervasive gang culture. The district saw seven encounters between gangsters and the police — 19 suspects were arrested and one neutralised. The incidents also led to the Aam Aadmi Party government drawing flak from the Opposition for the breakdown of law and order.
What lies ahead
Mohali has set its eyes on adding new dimensions to its infrastructure, with integrated development parks, data centres, IT industry additions, townships, hotels, hospitals and shopping malls planned for the coming years
As part of the district’s power infrastructure expansion plan, 14 new PSPCL grid sub-stations will be established this year, including 66 KV Sector 62, 66 KV Sector 110, 66 KV Sector 119 among others.
175-bed patient care block coming up at Punjab Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (PILBS) Mohali
A total of 90 playgrounds in districts to be upgraded into stadiums with refurbished facilities
36 Anganwaris in a new avtaar with better infrastructure
Flyover on Zirakpur-Ambala highway to become operational, further streamlining traffic on this stretch; a new, elevated Baltana bridge on Sukhna Choe in Zirakpur by 2026 year end
