Ludhiana: Punjab’s deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has announced a Rs 1,120-crore package to speed up development of Ludhiana. The city recently rated as ‘best to do business in India’ by none other than the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the ‘Manchester of Asia’ has now got eight new developmental projects worth Rs 1,120 crore to further boost facilities.
He also announced the sanction of four-laning of Ludhiana-Moga-Talwandibhai road—to be completed by March 2011.
The deputy CM inaugurated Jagraon Railway over bridge on Jagraon – Raikot – Barnala road besides laid the foundation stone of eight-laining of road along Sidhwan canal touching Ferozepure road (40 crore), pedestrian under passes near Agar Nagar and Administrative complex (Rs 7.80 crore) covering of ganda nala and beautifying the road (28 crore) and construction of road in alignment with budhan nala to provide another bypass for the city (Rs 30 crore).
Badal threw the Jagraon Railway overbridge open to the traffic, solving the major problem of traffic being faced by people going from Jagraon to Raikot and Baranala. He said the present SAD-BJP government has created a World record by completing 15 rail overbridges worth Rs 300 crore in last two years and was set to complete 13 more ROBs in next 18 months. He added 15 more ROBs are in the pipeline and work on them would start in the next financial year.
Badal said Punjab government would soon announce Rs 2,500 crore package for improving civic amenities in urban areas and a core group of SAD-BJP government was giving final touches to this package, keeping in view the rising aspirations of urban people from this government. Punjab was adopting a unique model of e-sewa kendra—to become operational by March 2011. He said each e-sewa Kendra—catering to average population of two lakh—would provide 17 citizen services. He said a network of e-sewa kendra to be set up on the pattern of Karnataka Model.
Later during the day, Badal laid the foundation stone of Rs 80 lakh project to beautify the entry point at Ferozepur road to be constructed near Octroi point.
The ambitious Rs 40 crore project of eight-laining the road along Sidhwan canal to Ferozepur road, constructing the southern bypass of Ludhiana was put on fast track. This Chinese joint venture company would complete this project with in six months, easing the traffic flow in the city.