Badal launches beautification project of holy city

Amritsar, Jul 24 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today launched the beautification and maintenance project for the holy city Amritsar and laid the foundation stone for upgradation of its road network.

A sum of Rs 80 crore would be spent on this project whereby, within a short span of one year, major roads would be landscaped and have footpaths, street lights, traffic signals and sign indicator boards, Mr Badal said while talking to mediapersons here.

The project would be executed by Rohan and Rajdeep, a firm of National repute, he added.

Besides, a sum of Rs 20 crore each would be spent on dry brick and concrete flooring in various wards and solid waste management project and Rs 11 crore would be used for ornamental tree plantation in the city as part of beautification and clean environment project.

''We owe a moral duty to develop Amritsar as one of the finest cities across the globe in view its historical and religious importance'', he said.

''The development of this city can not the quantified in terms of money rather it is sheer devotion and faith to bring spectacular all round development here as lakhs of devotees visit Sri Darbar Shaib daily to pay their obeisance and seek the blessings of Almighty'', he added.

The Chief Minister highlighted significance of overall development and growth of Amritsar in the context of the improved Indo-Pak relations which would further give a fillip to the bilateral trade between two countries in general and Punjab in particular.

Mr Badal said a policy would be formulated for the development of Amritsar that ensured the balanced growth of the city without ignoring the outer wards.

He said the State Government had initiated concerted efforts towards an integrated development of the Corporate cities of Amritsar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Patiala, Mohali and Bathinda and for this the services of renowned planners and architects were being taken to prepare the master plans of the cities.

He said his Government had embarked on an ambitious plan to modernise the Government Guru Nanak Hospital and Medical College at a cost of 130 crore and probably it would the one of the best hospitals in the world.

Answering a question regarding irregular supply of power, Mr Badal said concerted efforts were being made to bridge the gap between demand and supply of electricty.

Replying to another question related to the recent political developments at the Centre, Mr Badal said UPA Government had won but democracy had ''failed miserably''.

Earlier talking to mediapersons, Mr Navjot Singh Sidhu, MP, said that he would keep his word to develop this historic city on the ultra modern lines.

UNI VKJ GT CS1933