2 major UT projects to start next week

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 6

Two major projects of the UT Administration, worth over Rs 100 crores, will finally begin next week.

Sources said Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore would officially lay the foundation stone of one of the projects while the groundbreaking ceremony would be performed for the other. Both the events will be held on December 12.

The first project pertains to a seven-storey building with two-level basement, which will be constructed on the space between the existing Additional Deluxe Building and the Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) in Sector 9. The other, a similar structure, will come up on the premises of the board.

The UT Administration has allotted the first project, whose cost is Rs 59 crore, to RSB Project Pvt Ltd. The firm has been asked to complete the project within two years. The building will house the offices of the Adviser to the UT Administrator and six UT secretaries, staff of senior officials, meeting rooms, auditorium and dispensary.

The stone of the project was laid in 2007 but then the UT Administration went ahead with it without any preparation. The project never took off due to shortage of funds.

The second project, which will cost around Rs 49.5 crore, will be executed by GSBA Pvt Ltd. This firm has also been asked to complete the project within two years.

Both the buildings will have many similar features. Provisions such as rainwater harvesting system, rooftop garden, solar photovoltaic (SPV) power plant and firefighting system have been planned for these buildings. These will also have several green building features like evaporative cooling system, naturally lighting and ventilation for comfortable ambience.

The problem of shortage of space for offices being faced by the CHB and other departments of the Administration are likely to be resolved with the construction of the two buildings.