Two years after the Bathinda municipal corporation (MC) envisioned the state’s first zero-energy, zero-waste public sector building, to house its office, the project is finally gaining momentum with the civic body set to get possession of the land near the district administrative complex (DAC) in a week.
The building will be built over 5,000 sq yards, covering the Bathinda Press Club, a government property.
Official sources said the proposed green complex will be fully solar-powered, with 120 kw generation capacity, parking area for 250 vehicles, including 150 cars, and an exclusive sewage treatment plant (STP) and compost pits.
The 5-storey building will have a terrace garden on each floor and innovative geothermal cooling technology which will help in controlling the building temperature by about 4°C. With Bathinda known to experience extreme temperatures during summers and winters, this innovative technology will help keep the temperature under control.
The building will also be equipped with dual plumbing, and the wastewater generated will be recycled for use in washroom flushes.
With these features, the MC aims to achieve the benchmark of 5-star rating for green buildings.
{{/usCountry}}With these features, the MC aims to achieve the benchmark of 5-star rating for green buildings.
{{/usCountry}}Bathinda deputy commissioner Showkat Ahmad Parray, who holds the dual charge of municipal commissioner, said on Friday that the public works department is likely to grant a no-objection certificate (NOC) for the transfer of the new site to the MC by the end of next week.
“An approval from the government was awaited as the MC was to get an NOC first to get the land transferred. The procedure caused a delay. Now, soon after the corporation gets the land, the process for the new complex will be initiated,” added Parray.
Officials said when the plan for a new office complex was conceptualised in March 2023, the estimated budget was ₹31 crore.
Initially, the MC authorities had planned to take a loan from Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited (HUDCO) for the construction.
Parray, however, said on Friday, that the corporation will not take a loan from HUDCO and would approach some other financial institution.
“We will take loan on the existing building near the railway station as there is no immediate plan to sell it. MC may utilise the chunk at the prime location for a commercial project in future,” he added.
“Construction of a new complex was necessitated to bring various wings of Bathinda at a single place for greater convenience of the general public and better administrative management. Presently, several sections of the local body were scattered in different parts of the city, and it was causing numerous problems in public services,” said the commissioner.