M A I N   N E W S

Sukhbir is man in a hurry, opens unfinished projects
Puneet Pal Singh Gill/TNS

Ludhiana, December 17
In an apparent tearing hurry to stake his claim to every inch of development in the state before imposition of the model code of conduct, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal today inaugurated two incomplete projects in the city.

The Sidhwan Canal Four Lane Expressway project was inaugurated with only two of the four lanes constructed so far and without the completion of the three bridges, including two rail overbridges. Interestingly, the official date for the completion of the project is still three months away.

Similarly, the City Bus Service Project, which was to be launched with 200 buses, was inaugurated with merely 10 buses.

Sukhbir admitted that the projects would take “some more time” for completion but maintained that the party was not on an inauguration spree before the polls, as was being projected by the media.

Notwithstanding Sukhbir’s claims, the foundation stone of the Rs 416 crore Expressway Project, running along the Sidhwan Canal, was laid in 2009 and the official deadline for its completion was February 2012. The 26.9 km four-lane expressway project will provide a carriage way on each side from the Doraha to Ludhiana-Ferozepur Road, while providing a bypass for traffic going to Ferozepur.

After inaugurating the project, Sukhbir addressed the media and stated, “Today we have inaugurated two lanes of road, while the entire project would be ready in the next few months.” He said the project would take about three months for completion.

The city bus service project was first proposed in 2002 and later in 2008. Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the MC was to purchase a total of 200 buses, including 40 low floor air-conditioned, 40 low floor non AC, 80 semi low floor non AC and 40 mini buses.

However, the project was launched with only 10 low floor non-AC buses. Sukhbir blamed Tata, which was to supply the buses, for the delay.

“The company has a backlog of orders and we hope that all the 200 buses will start running within the next four months,” he added. Interestingly, Sukhbir was also slated to inaugurate a Pedestrian Under Pass, opposite the Mini Secretariat here. However, the inauguration was postponed for a week as even this project was incomplete. In fact, Sukhbir had laid the foundation stone of this project last November and it was to be completed in one year.