Smart City projects pick up momentum in Ludhiana

Only three projects have been completed so far under the mission during the past four years

Moving at a snail’s pace for the first three years after the city was selected under the Smart City Mission in 2016, the projects, taken up under the mission, have picked up pace in the city.

Various projects, including the Pakhowal road railway overbridge, were commissioned under the mission. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

The mission was launched by the Union government on June 25, 2015, but the city got selected under the mission a year later.

The country observed fifth anniversary of the mission on Thursday.

Various projects, including Pakhowal road railway over bridge (ROB)/railway under bridge (RUB), smart road project on the Malhar road, Sarabha Nagar retrofitting project, LED streetlights, waterfront development alongside the Sidhwan canal, carcass utilisation plant, etc, had been commenced under the mission.

Chief executive officer (CEO) of the Ludhiana Smart City Limited (LSCL) Sanyam Aggarwal said, “The projects were moving at a slow pace in the initial years as the focus was on preparing detailed project reports, etc. But, now the work on all the projects has been expedited at the ground level.”

The major projects included Sarabha Nagar retrofitting and development of the Malhar road as smart road, LED streetlights project, carcass utilisation plant, etc has commenced. Contractors may be given extensions of up to two months due to lockdown, but these projects would be completed this year, the CEO added.

“The major focus at present is on the projects, including the construction of a multi-storey parking lot in the Feroze Gandhi market, installation of compactors, upgrading the fire brigade, upgrading of sports infrastructure in the Guru Nanak Stadium and Rakh Bagh,” said Aggarwal.

MC superintending engineer Rahul Gagneja said, “The state-level technical committee has also approved the projects, including the installation of static compactors, retrofitting of the Ghumar Mandi market and fencing alongside the Buddha Nullah.”

FOCUS SHOULD BE NEGLECTED AREAS: GOEL

One of the directors of the LSCL Sanjay Goel said, “The focus of the smart city projects should be on neglected areas of the city, but most of the projects are being taken up in posh areas of the city. The authorities should also work to decongest city roads and facilitate the smooth movement of traffic.”

He added, “Efforts should also be made to improve the condition of old city areas. I will take up these issues in the upcoming meeting of the Board of Directors.”