The Pioneer 17.08.2010
‘Governance reforms to benefit people’
PNS | Bathinda/Mansa
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed on Monday that the State is all set for transformation, as governance reforms in all the departments are sure to take the fruits of accelerated growth to the masses.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said that all the towns in Punjab would be inter-connected with four to six-lane roads by June 2011 after the completion of seven major road projects with the combined project cost of Rs 6689 crore.
Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was speaking after dedicating four major development projects, including rail overbridge at Budhlada, rail underbridge at Mansa and Ring Road Phase-II Bathinda and railway overbridge with combined project cost of Rs 171 crore, said that Punjab would be the first State to have all major cities inter-connected with four to six lane roads. He said that by June 2011 major road projects including four-laning of Zirakpur–Patiala, four-laning of Patiala–Bathinda road at Rs 1,400 crore, and the six-laning of Sher Shah Suri Marg from Panipat to Jalandhar at Rs 2700 crore would change the face of the State.
He said that in a unique project of its kind, this six-lane national highway would have access control with flyovers to be constructed in all cities falling along this road and underpasses to be constructed to cross the main roads.
Badal said that four-laning of road from Dhilwan to Amritsar Wagha Border will be done at an estimated cost of Rs 470 crore, the 102-km long Pathankot-Amritsar at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore, four-laning of 45-km long Kurali to Kiratpur Sahib Road would make an important contribution in easing out the traffic on these routes.
Badal said that the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP Government moved with a focused approach in a realising all the dream projects within scheduled time and timely completion of major projects has shut the mouths of always critical opposition parties, who were terming these projects as the ‘foundation stone’ projects.
Sharing his vision on development of infrastructure, Badal said that in one year the world class road or air connectivity, surplus power would be the unique selling proposition (USP) of Punjab to attract investors in this landlocked border State.
Badal said that with the completion of Talwandi Sabo, Goindwal, Rajpura and Gidderbaha power plants besides proposed thermal plant in Mansa, Punjab would be the first power surplus State, selling surplus power to other power deficient States. He said that besides 6,500 MW generated by thermal plants, Punjab would harness 1,000-MW power from renewable energy sectors.
Promising to upgrade the civic amenities of urban areas, Badal said that Punjab Cabinet would soon announce Rs 2,500 crore urban renewal package, improve civic amenities including sewerage and water supply network in all towns and 80 markets of Punjab.
Interacting with the media in Bathinda, Badal said that all the five thermal plants being set up in Punjab are using latest state-of-the-art pollution free technology. He allayed the fears raised in certain quarters regarding pollution level rising with new thermal plants.
Badal said that Bathinda Refinery would be commissioned within next 10 months and accused former Chief Minister for inflicting colossal economic damage on Punjab’s economy by deliberately delaying the refinery project for five years.
