New road infra, water supply projects in pipeline for Patiala

Significant development works is planned for the city in the next two months, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh said. The projects are aimed to improve roads, street lighting, cleanliness and drinking water, making the city more comfortable and attractive for residents.

Singh held a meeting with councillors from Wards 14 to 29 at the Municipal Corporation office to review the development plan. He shared that clean canal-based drinking water, better roads, new street lights, and improved civic services will be provided soon. Tenders for these works have already been issued and preparations have started.

Municipal Commissioner Parmvir Singh, Mayor Kundan Gogia, and Senior Deputy Mayor Harinder Kohli also attended the meeting.

The Minister said a new solid waste management project has started in Wards 17 and 55, with help from Thapar University. Under the system, garbage will be sent directly to the Material Recovery Facility (MRF), removing the need for roadside garbage dumps. By June 30, all such collection points will be removed from the city to make it cleaner.

Talking about the issue of stray dogs, he asked officials to speed up the sterilization program to ensure public safety, especially for children. Commissioner Parmvir Singh said that sterilisation of 50 dogs per day will begin soon and the animal hospital’s kennel capacity is being increased from 50 to 200.

To reduce traffic problems and offer better public transport, Singh announced that 50 electric buses will start running in Patiala. The tender process is complete, and the bus service will begin within six months. These buses will be an eco-friendly and dependable option for daily travel.

He also responded to complaints about street lights not working. He said new technology will be used to monitor street lights in real-time.

During the review of the Rajindra Lake project, the minister asked officials to speed up the work. Water will be filled in the lake soon, and plans are being made to add boat rides and turn the area into a nice picnic spot for families.

To prevent flooding during the rainy season, the Minister said that the Punjab Government, under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has planned a permanent solution. The drain near the Deer Park will be widened, 1,000 groundwater recharge wells will be built from Chandigarh to Patiala, and trees will be planted on 750 acres of forest land near Badi Nadi. These steps will help prevent damage to homes and crops.

The mayor, meanwhile, said he was personally checking the progress of development work in each ward and is always available to listen to public issues. He added that tenders worth Rs. 20 crore have already been issued for various civic projects, which will begin soon.

The meeting was attended by councillors Jasbir Gandhi, Gyan Chand, Mukta Gupta, Rohit, and senior officers of the Municipal Corporation.