Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, The Punjab Congress today slammed the state government for misleading the people by selling them false dreams in the name Rs 18,000 crore road projects which were announced by Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari at Bathinda recently. The people in the state had lost faith on the state government as the big announcements made earlier remained only on paper and nothing materialized.
In a statement, party General Secretary Rajanbir Singh said the state government earlier during the last few years announced big ticket projects totally more than Rs. 30,000 none of which reached the implementation stage. And as such, thislatest announcement although made by Gadkari continued to be viewed with suspicion going by the track record of this government which was that of dismal failure.
He said the information obtained by PPCC RTI cell chairman Dr Jasdeepak Singh had exposed the state government so far as the implementation of such announcements were concerned. These projects included Ludhiana Metro, Pod system for Amritsar and Mohali-Phagwara Expressway. These projects had altogether been dropped after presenting them as the developmental face of the Parkash Singh Badal government. It was the state government that had now lost its face as none was willing to believe such hyperbolic statements. The foundation stones of several projects were laid with much fanfare.
Punjab Govt has been fooling people time and again by announcing development projects over time and again promising development , but VARIOUS major projects are dropped in between . Initial spending is done , projects are inaugurated and then many projects bite the dust .
He pointed out the state government acquired land including fertile agricultural land for these projects but only to be abandoned . this included 6-laning of Chandigarh Ludhiana and 4-laning of Chandigarh-Anandpur Sahib highways.
He said as per the RTI reply various development projects which were approved and were to be facilitated or funded by PIDB since 2008 were in shambles . These projects were either dropped or their present status showed that they were on hold, after spending initial huge sums of money.
Rajanbir also referred to the much publicized ropeway between Anandpur Sahib and Naina Devi which was now under a question mark . The Rs 8500 lacs project was on hold after incurring initial expenditure of Rs 100.24 lac. Similarly, Railway over bridge at Gidderbaha on Lambi-Gidderbaha road estimated to cost Rs 2000 lac was dropped after spending Rs. 60.58 lac. The Rs 700 lac Railway Under Bridge at Maur Mandi met similar fate after spending Rs 6.32.
He said several projects for construction of bus terminals under PPP mode had been dropped whuich included bus terminal at Sangrur, Kapurthala,Faridkot after an initial expenditure of Rs 4.0 lac , 4.lac and 6.0 lac respectively , whose estimated cost was 40 crore each . Similarly the bus terminus at Kharar had also been dropped after spending Rs 3.20 lac , whose estimated cost was 10.00 crores . also included under such projects was Rs 350 crore five star hotel at Mohali . then there was Rs 50 crore Punjab Haat and Amusement park at Mohali whose fate was no different after Rs 2.0 lac were spent .Other such projects were Punjab heritage train announced by the state government.
He said the list of projects on hold was long which included Expressway around Mohali , Mohali – Phagwara Expressway ,Tanda- Sri- Hargobindpur –Amritsar Road, Batala Mehta -Beas Road , Rope way between Anandpur Sahib- Naina Devi and Hotel at Ludhiana (Circuit House), Muktsar-Malout Road, Kapurthala- Taran Taran –Chhabal- Attari Road , Ferozepur- Zira- Dharamkot ,Rampura Maur Talwandi Sabo –Raman Mandi,Ratiya- Boha- Budhlada-Bhikhi , Barnala –Mansa- Sardulgarh-Sirsa ,Mukerian-Gurdaspur ,Phillaur-Naggar-Rahon, Ludhiana- Ferozepur Road along Sidhwan Canal , Nidampur to Lehra , Mullanpur-Raikot- Barnala Road , Doraha to Jagraon and Raiyya to Khara road .
He said the projects under Engineering Procurement Construction mode which were on hold were Railway Over Bridges on Amritsar-Bhikhiwind –Khemkaran Road , Amritsar Attari section , Gidderbaha-Lambi Road , Banga –Phillaur Road,Sura Nassi Jalandhar ,Noormahal-Phillaur Road and Amritsar Mehta Sri Hargobindpur Road . A 5 star hotel project at Amritsar was also on hold after an initial expenditure done of Rs 1 lac , whose estimated cost was Rs 175 crores . Similarly construction of Bus Terminus at Patiala , Punjab Habitat Center , IIM at Mohali , all which were to be under PPP mode (Public Private Partnership) were on hold .
Rajanbir advised the state government to stop do some introspection as it was time to conduct an inquiry into all these projects by independent agency.
