Works worth Rs 38 cr begin under Smart City project

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, March 8

In a major step aimed at giving impetus to the overall development of the city, Lok Sabha MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh along with MLAs and officers of the district administration inaugurated the work of junction improvement of 11 chowks and installation of solar panels on several government buildings in the city at a cost of Rs 38.15 crore.

The junction improvement work would be executed at a cost of Rs 20.32 crore during which a facelift would be given to 11 chowks of the city — Dr BR Ambedkar Chowk, Guru Amardass Chowk, Kapurthala Chowk, Bhagwan Valmiki Chowk (Jyoti Chowk), Guru Ravidass Chowk, Doaba Chowk, PNB Chowk and Kapurthala road intersection, BMC Chowk, HMV Chowk and Model Town Intersection. Besides, the works of improvement in lane geometry, lane marking, wider pedestrian pathways, table top crossings and tactile tiles, SS railings and ramps, mastic asphalt for pavement strengthening, traffic signals cantilever types, automated traffic management system, CCTV cameras, surveillance and support traffic violation, traffic-calming measures, development of landscape area, provision of bus stops, foot over bridges with escalators wherever practicable and others would be executed.

The MP said the motive was to ensure a smooth and hassle-free movement of traffic on the one hand and give a serene look to the chowks on the other.

It was learnt that the work on installing solar rooftop panels on several government buildings, covering a total area of 74,193 sq m, has also been started today. They said as per this work, solar rooftop panels would be installed on over 16 buildings at a cost of Rs 17.83 crore. These include JDA office, Commissioner of Police office, District Administrative Complex, Government Education College, Meritorious School, Municipal Corporation Jalandhar, Registrar Office I and II, Government Girls School, Sessions Court, Sports college, SSP (Rural) Office, Agriculture office, Government High School, Basti Bawa Khel, Government Senior Secondary Schools Santokhpura and Mithapur, Government Girls Senior Secondary School Nehru Garden and PAP Complex.

Chaudhary Santokh Singh, accompanied by MLAs Pargat Singh, Rajinder Beri, Sushil Kumar Rinku and Avtar Singh Bawa Henry, Municipal Corporation Mayor Jagdish Raj Raja, Commissoner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and Chief Executive Officer Smart City Jitendra Jorwal, inaugurated the project at the local Guru Amar Dass Chowk.