Development projects worth Rs 1,078 crore launched in Ludhiana

LUDHIANA: Under the Smart City Mission and Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) Programmes, three development projects were launched in Ludhiana on February 22. The mega projects worth Rs 64.6 crore aim at paving way into a new era of world-class infrastructure in the industrial hub of Punjab. These projects are part of the municipal projects worth Rs 1,078 crore, which were recently launched by Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab, through video-conferencing. The launch ceremony was held simultaneously in several locations of the district in which a large number of municipal councilors and prominent residents of several areas took part.

The announced projects include establishment of Municipal Corporation control centre, beautification and refurbishment of Mini Rose Garden, development 29 MLD sewage treatment plant (STPs), and augmentation of Ludhiana Safe City project. The Ludhiana Safe City Project has been allocated Rs 35.96 crore, while an official informed that around 1,442 CCTV cameras had already been functioning in the city.

Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Minister of Food & Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Government of Punjab, mentioned that 300 more such surveillance cameras would be installed at garbage dumping sites, critical and vantage points in the city, and STPs. Besides this, he said, 30 vehicle-mounted camera systems and 600 external IR illuminators having 200-m range for better monitoring during zero visibility would be installed for municipal monitoring of encroachments and garbage dumps in the city. He added that the government is expecting the project to be completed within the next six months.

The beautification and refurbishment of the Mini Rose Garden project will involve work on soft-scaping, plantation, grass, amphitheatre, fountains, badminton court, pergolas, canopy, kids play, open gym and other areas. The minister said that all this would be carried out in the next 12 month at an estimated cost of Rs 3.48 crore. However, he added that the work on 29 MLD capacities STP had been completed under the AMRUT project in Khanna.