PUNJAB to develop 50 new urban estates

Chandigarh, February 12, 2013: In a bid to further develop the urban areas in an holistic manner and provide better living facilities to the people of the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave a go-ahead signal to PUDA to establish 50 new Urban Estates at various identified sites across the state under the jurisdiction of six developmental authorities of Mohali, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar , Patiala and Bathinda. 

A decision to this effect was taken by Badal during a meeting with the Chief Administrators of various authorities held here at Chief Minister's residence this morning.

In the larger public interest,  Badal also asked PUDA to soon finalise the Housing Policy 2013.  

Badal also approved Rs. 1250 crore project to construct 5000 affordable houses for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) of the society at four sites in Mohali.  

The Chief Minister asked Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) to expedite the work on the Rs. 800 crore Punjab Premium Apartments Project Mohali over an area of 36.15 acres to construct 1620 apartments ready for possession by 2015.  He also approved to extend this scheme to construct more apartments.

The Chief Minister also directed the Chief Administrators of the various development authorities to ensure strict implementation of the master plans in the towns and cities under their jurisdiction to give further impetus to the planned urban development in the state. He said that these master plans would not only ensure the integrated and planned development of the cities and the towns but also stall their unplanned and haphazard growth.

The Chief Minister was apprised by the Secretary Housing and Urban Development that eight sites under Bathinda Development Authority (BDA) having an area of about 800 acres had been identified to establish new urban estates, similarly under Patiala Development Authority (PDA) 160 acres for three new urban estates, nine sites under Jalandhar Development Authority (JDA) had been identified, where as land about 2600 to 3100 acres  for establishing six sites under Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) yet to be finalized. He also informed that work on the Rs. 196 crore prestigious project of laying of 23 Km Pipe for supplying water to SAS Nagar (Mohali) from Kajauli was in full swing and would be completed by August 2014.  

During the meeting the Chief Minister also reviewed other Infrastructure ongoing projects in the state being executed by different Development Authorities and asked them to get all the projects completed in a time bound manner.

Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included Secretary Housing and Urban Development A. Venu Parsad and Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Gaggandip Singh Brar, besides other senior officers of various authorities.