Punjab polls: Projects initiated by Capt in Patiala remain in limbo

The projects include setting up of heritage street, multi-crore canal-based water supply project in Patiala district, rejuvenation of seasonal Chhoti Nadi and Badi Nadi, dairy shifting project and renovation of Rajindra Lake

Patiala : Most of the developmental projects initiated by former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh since 2017 continue to remain in limbo.

Most of the developmental projects initiated by former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh since 2017 continue to remain in limbo.

The projects include setting up of heritage street, multi-crore canal-based water supply project in Patiala district, rejuvenation of seasonal Chhoti Nadi and Badi Nadi, dairy shifting project and renovation of Rajindra Lake.

Though the projects progressed well during his tenure, the work on these has come to a standstill since his unceremonious ouster as the Punjab CM on September 18 last year.

“In October 2020, the former chief minister announced ₹1,100-crore projects for Patiala, but political differences have slowed their pace,” said a senior Congress leader.

In 2018, the state government kicked off the canal-based water supply project, which was later approved by Union ministries of finance and urban development. The project worth ₹503 crore was to be carried out as a joint venture by the state and the central government for which the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is the main financial sponsor. The government had set March 2022 as its deadline, but other than tenders and work orders, nothing has progressed so far, say officials.

As far as dairy shifting project is concerned, despite spending ₹15 crore on the development of the site, the project failed to take off due to reluctance shown by dairy owners.

In October last year, chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi directed the Patiala administration to halt the shifting till all necessary facilities were made available at the new site.

Similarly, the work on the rejuvenation of Badi Nadi and Chhoti Nadi, dream projects of the former CM, is moving at a snail’s pace after his ouster. Prior to this, Amarinder and his wife Patiala MP Preneet Kaur use to personally monitor the projects.

The heritage street project, which was to be completed by December 2021, has already missed its deadline. Under the project costing around ₹41 crore, heritage street was to be constructed around Patiala’s 256-year-old Qila Mubarak.

Patiala mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu said the projects were closely monitored by senior officials of state government during Amarinder’s tenure. “Now, the government has completely ignored these projects as nothing has been done in the past four months,” he said.

Bittu added that he has written to Punjab CM Charanjit Channi and epartments concerned to expedite the work on these projects and take action against executing agency as per contract agreement.