E-Paper
Four years after being mooted, Ludhiana cycle valley a non-starter
Ludhiana Four years after the then Akali government conceptualised a hi-tech cycle valley at Dhanansu in 2016, and a year after Hero Cycles Limited was allotted
Ludhiana Four years after the then Akali government conceptualised a hi-tech cycle valley at Dhanansu in 2016, and a year after Hero Cycles Limited was allotted 100 acre in the valley, the 380-acre project has remained a non-starter. Progress, if any, on the project is slow and the 8-km approach road itself will take another 10 months to complete.
The state government is yet to decide the rate at which plots would be allotted and the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) has not sold any plot to any other cycle manufacturer, failing to attract further investment. Small-scale manufacturers of cycle parts in Ludhiana are waiting for the bigger companies to start operations and will take a call on shifting to the valley only after that.
Hero Cycles is developing an anchor unit on 100 acre it got. A ₹31-crore six-lane road connecting the valley with Chandigarh Road is on. However, with the requisite infrastructure not in place, no other cycle manufacturer, apart from Hero, has invested. Hero Cycles managing director SK Rai said they were constructing a boundary wall at the site allotted to them. “Currently, accessibility is a problem, but work is on,” he said.
Industry view
Even as Ralson and Big Ben have announced setting up their projects at the valley, a section of cycle manufacturers in Ludhiana are not that impressed. “Why should we invest in the project? What is there for us in it with no infrastructure till now. There is no road, no water supply and we do not even know the price at which we will be allotted land,” said KK Seth, chairman, Neelam Cycles in Ludhiana.
Jaswinder Birdi of Birdi Cycle Industry, Focal Point, said that the project is not viable at all. “Going by the pace at which the government is going, it will take years to build infrastructure. There is no profitability in such a project,” he said.
‘50 acre to be auctioned soon’
On its part, the PSIEC plans to e-auction 50 acre at the rate of ₹5,000 (approx) per square yard (an acre has 4,840 square yards). PSIEC managing director Sibin C said the boundary wall of the project site was being constructed and they will soon e-auction one plot.
PSIEC chairman Gurpreet Gogi said a tender for infrastructure development at the site would be floated next week. “We are floating tenders for roads, water supply, storm sewer and for infrastructure upgrade next week. Companies are expressing interest and the project is set to attract investors,” Gogi said.
Strap/Blurb
Little progress Apart from Hero Cycles, no other manufacturer, apart from Hero, has invested in the 380-acre project at Dhanansu village; even approach road not in place
Quotes
What is there for us in the project. There is no road, no water supply and we do not even know the price at which we will be allotted land.
KK Seth, chairman, Neelam Cycles, Ludhiana
We are floating tenders for roads, water supply, storm sewer and for infrastructure upgrade next week. Companies are expressing interest.
Gurpreet Gogi, chairman, Punjab
Small Industries and Export Corporation
