Eye on assembly polls: Admn told to push development works

As Punjab stares at the 2017 assembly elections, its long-lingering development projects are also likely to gather pace.

As Punjab stares at the 2017 assembly elections, its long-lingering development projects are also likely to gather pace.

Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal. (HT Photo)

The administration has fixed completion deadlines between March and August, 2016 to leave room for inauguration before the model code of conduct applies. Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal reviewed all the ongoing development work in Amritsar and told the district administration to get into action. The staff from his office gets regular updates on these projects.

A construction-spree is on in the city. Other than the old projects, many launched even in the Akali-BJP regime are also pending. Bus Rapit Transit System (BRTS) of local transport is among the biggest of these incomplete tasks along with sewerage system, Heritage Village, Gobingrah Fort, Food Street, District Administrative Complex, new central jail, Golden Temple Plaza basement, and solid-waste management plant. The deputy CM has told the public works department (PWD) to get it done.

The big Improvement Trust projects that never took off include the multipurpose sports stadium, installation of security cameras. Sukhbir had laid the foundation stone of the stadium before the 2012 assembly elections. Asked to react, deputy commissioner Ravi Bhagat said the deputy CM was looking personally into the projects and these were on course to meeting the March-to-August deadlines. The restoration of Gobindgarh Fort may take a little longer,” said the DC.

Most development projects in the city are running behind schedule but the Akali-BJP regimes is in a hurry to inaugurate these before the 2017 elections.

Pending projects

Bus Rapid Transit System

Heritage Village

Food Street

Solid Waste Management Plant

New Central Jail

District Administrative Complex

Sewerage project

Non-starters

Installation of security cameras

Multipurpose stadium