More infra projects in line: Hooda

Hindustan Times spoke with Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to track progress in the Millennium City.

Hindustan Times spoke with Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda to track progress in the Millennium City. Here are excerpts from the interaction.

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The Haryana government has gifted Gurgaon with many ambitious projects like expressway, Metro line and
private rapid metro (DLF). What are the other projects in the pipeline?
We have identified a mass rapid transit system (MRTS) for Gurgaon-Manesar-Bawal as an 'early bird' project, under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) initiative. The feasibility study is on.

Any other major projects?
Another project, in collaboration with the Centre, has been proposed for Panchgaon Chowk, near Manesar. Besides, Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (HSIIDC) plans to develop an Industrial Model Township at Roz-ka-Meo in Mewat, 25 km from Rajiv Chowk.

The hi-speed Metro project (Gurgaon-Dwarka) is likely to cost about Rs2,500 crore and the DMRC chairman had clarified that Haryana will have to bear 50% of the cost. Is Haryana ready for it?
We will take a decision on this matter only after talks with the DMRC, Delhi government and other stakeholders.

Have you chalked out any time-bound plan to address the civic issues that Gurgaon has been facing?
Yes, we are addressing issues such as water supply, sewerage lines and roads. The master road from NH-8 (Shan-
kar Chowk) to Sector 55/56 is being upgraded at Rs347 crore. The total length of southern peripheral road (SPR) from Faridabad to NH-8 is 14.38 km, of which 2.17 km from village Ghatta to Faridabad will be completed by May. The SPR will be made functional by December 2011. Work on the stretch from Sohna Road to NH-8 is also in progress.

When can we expect the NCR water channel to be ready for Gurgaon?
The NCR channel will be operational by April 30. But the storage tanks at the tail-end of the channel, meant for supplying water to Gurgaon, being constructed by the HUDA, might not be completed by the same date.

In Gurgaon, there is hardly any control on the opening and closing timing of liquor vends and bars. Any plan to regulate the activity and implement the Excise Act in true spirit?
Bars in hotels or restaurants below 4-star category remain open till midnight. Their timing can be extended by two hours on payment of Rs5 lakh annually, in addition to the annual licence fee of Rs5 lakh. The additional fee acts as a deterrent. The excise department has also been conducting checks. Similarly, retail liquor outlets are also subjected to regular checking. I assure you that intensive measures will be taken to implement the Excise Act and the state policy in true spirit.

Residents of Gurgaon, where one vehicle is stolen every four hours, have complained about active parking mafia. They say there are unauthorised parking lots all over who charge at will - with no administrative control on them. Would you intervene?
All parking lots in Gurgaon are being run by parking owners, with the permission of the administrator, HUDA, commissioner and the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG). The parking fee is fixed by HUDA and MCG. Neither any illegal parking fee is charged by the owners, nor an unauthorised parking mafia is active in the commissionerate.

As far as vehicle theft is concerned, 12 gangs engaged in the crime have been busted during 2010-11.

Is the DHBVN prepared to face the summers?
Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has got into the act of ensuring uninterrupted power supply in Gurgaon during summers. The city requires 160 lakh units a day and the existing infrastructure is adequate.

As per plans, about 50-km line conductor has been replaced, more than 90% 11KV feeders have been maintained and the rest will be completed by April 30, 2011.