Rs 1,000-crore push to infra development in Ludhiana district

Tribune News Service

Nitin Jain

Ludhiana, September 18

A whopping sum of Rs 1,000 crore has been approved to undertake infrastructure development in the district, the government has said.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has given nod to projects pertaining to augmentation of power supply worth Rs 459 crore, improvement in basic civic amenities at the cost of Rs 440 crore, upgrade of health services and enhanced security arrangements, costing Rs 100 crore.

These major projects would be undertaken in different parts of the district, especially industrial areas, to benefit trade and industry.

The demands to this effect were raised by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora on behalf of local industrialists, at the Sarkar-Sanatkar Milni (government-industrialists’ meet) held here recently.

While Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) would upgrade the power supply network at the cost of Rs 459 crore, the Local Government and Industries departments would undertake development works worth Rs 440 crore to improve the basic civic amenities in the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population.

The upgrade of the ESI Hospital and dispensary would be also be undertaken by the Health and Police departments, respectively, at an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore.

The in-principle approvals to this effect have been accorded by the departments concerned on the directions of the Chief Minister.

Arora told The Tribune here on Monday that all these works were aimed at improving the infrastructure required to boost the industrial development in Ludhiana, which was considered the hub of industry and trade in the North.

He said the PSPCL would install new 66-kV sub-stations at Dhanansu, STP, Tibba Road, Pawa Road, Grain Market, Daresi, Focal Point Phase IV, Noorewal 2, Hawas, Ayali and Loharu. Besides, new 220-kV power supply sub-stations would come up at Dhanansu and Sherpur.

The power utility has also been mandated to augment power supply transformers from 100 MVA to 160 MVA at the 220-kV substation in Dhandari Kalan and Sahnewal. Also, a new 400-kV grid substation would come up at Dhanansu, where a hi-tech cycle valley has been developed over 379 acres at the cost of Rs 500 crore with an aim to attracting new investors, not only from the country but also from overseas.

“The upgraded power supply network was required for a long time and it would help provide uninterrupted supply to consumers, especially the industries, which were so far reeling under acute power shortage,” Arora said.

He said the Local Government Department had been given the task to construct sewage treatment plants (STPs) at Jamalpur and Baloke, effluent treatment plants (ETPs) at Tajpur and Haibowal, new fire stations at Focal Point in Tajpur, and construction of roads with concrete pavements at Focal Points Phase I to III. “These projects, costing a sum of Rs 414.76 crore, would provide sewage treatment facilities, dedicated fire station and better road network to the industrial areas, which were so far bereft of these facilities,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

The MP said the Industries Department and the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) would construct roads with concrete pavement at Focal Points Phase V to VIII and the boundary wall at 15-acre pocket adjoining Central Jail on Tajpur Road here at the cost of Rs 25.23 crore. “These were also the long-pending demands of the local industry, which the CM was quick to fulfil and ordered the release of funds to undertake the works,” he said.

The Chief Minister has also announced plans to upgrade the ESI Hospital at Bharat Nagar Chowk and the ESI dispensary at the Focal Point here to provide better healthcare services to industrial workers.

To provide enhanced security apparatus and ensure better safety of industrialists and their workers, the CM has ordered the setting up of six new police posts in industrial areas, including one each at Ishwar Colony, Industrial Area, Dhandari Kalan, Sherpur, Giaspura, Eldeco and Doraha.

#Bhagwant Mann