Punjab set to spend Rs 25,000 cr on projects

Chandigarh, Jul 28 (UNI) The Punjab Government has chalked out ambitious plans to implement over 75 projects including expressways crisscrossing the state, flying clubs, super speciality hospitals, ring roads and five star hotels on which Rs 25,000 crore would be spent.

Punjab Chief Secretary Ramesh Inder Singh while presiding over the Executive Meeting of Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) here today said these projects included a Rs 2,200 crore expressway from the international airport in Mohali to Phagwara, a Rs 2,300 crore expressway around Mohali and a ring road around the Amritsar city to be constructed at a cost of Rs 2500 crore.

Besides these expressways, Anil Ambani Reliance Energy Ltd has proposed to construct a four lane Pathankot-Ajmer expressway at a cost of Rs 8,630 crore.

He said the 340 KM expressway corridor would reduce the distance between Pathankot and Ajmer by 200 KM.

The expressway project expected to be completed by June 2011 would prove a boon for Malwa, said Mr Singh.

Giving more details, the Chief Secretary said amongst the projects which would likely to be implemented in two to three years included air-conditioned bus terminals at Mohali, Patiala and Bathinda, Hotel Management Institutes at Mohali and Sirhind, five star hotels at Amritsar and Bathinda, a Habitat Centre and IT tower and a Sports complex at Mohali.

The PIDB also proposed to spend around Rs 400 crore on upgradation of urban road networks and city scaping of Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Mohali.

The Board has also proposed to construct railway over-bridges (ROBs) in Ludhiana, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Nawanshahr, Mansa, Dhuri, Amritsar, Sunam and Tarn Taran by April 2010.

Two Greenfield super speciality hospitals one at Mohali and other at Bathinda at a cost of Rs 100 crore each would be completed in the next couple of year, Mr Singh said.

UNI PS RC RK1815