Punjab to develop New Chandigarh as hi-tech city

, Oct 8: The

government will develop New Chandigarh, a new township coming up near Chandigarh, as a futuristic township with high-tech facilities, Deputy Chief Minister

said on Tuesday.

The new township, coming up at Mullanpur area on the north-west side of Chandigarh, will have a medi-city and edu-city, Badal said, adding that it will have top universities and medical facilities.

Expressing concern at the mushrooming of unauthorised colonies in the Mullanpur area, he cautioned that such colonies will face action.

Badal said that big residential and other infrastructure projects by leading builders like DLF, Omaxe, Altius and a world-class cricket stadium by the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) were already in the pipeline in the new township.

He said that about 2,200 acres of land for the town's expansion has already been acquired.

The Haryana government has objected to the use of the name New Chandigarh by the Punjab government for the upcoming township.

IANS