Punjab delegation impressed with Ahmedabad city

Chandigarh, June 10 (UNI) Punjab is planning to adopt the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority model for developing the five major cities of Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala and Bathinda.

This decision was taken by Punjab Commerce and Industries and Local Bodies minister Manoranjan Kalia, who returned here today after leading a delegation to Ahmedabad to study the development of Gujarat's main city.

Lok Sabha MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, Punjab BJP President Rajinder Bhandhari, Principal Secretary, Local Government, D S Bains and Chief Parliamentary Secretary Harish Rai Dhanda were the members of the delegation.

''We were impressed by the structure and performance of Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority and we are planning to adopt its model to develop our cities'', Mr Kalia said here .

The private-public partnership mode for acquisition of land by the Ahmedabad Authority for development impressed the delegation.

This model could help Punjab to generate funds to develop its cities in a more structured manner, he said.

A presentation on the Sabarmati river front scheme, Bus-Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and town-planning scheme were also made before the Punjab delegation.

The delegation showed keen interest in solid waste management, especially the scheme for preparing compost, which was in operation in Rajkot and also the proposal to generate electricity out of solid waste in Ahmedabad. The Minister directed the Secretary, Local Government to send a team of experts to evaluate these projects so that they can be replicated in Punjab.

Mr Kalia said that public involvement especially through Resident Welfare Associations in the municipal towns of Punjab should be encouraged for developmental activities.

UNI