Ludhiana MC in clean-up mode for Punjab CM’s visit - Hindustan Times
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Ludhiana MC in clean-up mode for Punjab CM’s visit

By, Ludhiana
Jan 11, 2021 11:32 PM IST

MC commissioner Pradeep Kumar Sabharwal inspected the route that the CM’s cavalcade is expected to take

Chief minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh is scheduled to visit the city today to inaugurate the 650-crore Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project.

Senior police officials inspecting the site where the CM will lay the foundation stone for the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project in Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)
Senior police officials inspecting the site where the CM will lay the foundation stone for the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation project in Ludhiana. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

A day before his arrival, officials of the municipal corporation and police department were seen in action mode, to ensure that the city is spick and span.

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On Monday, MC workers were seen repainting the dividers and whitewashing the sidewalls of the road, on the stretch between PAU Gate Number 4 and Haibowal Chowk. Sweepers were also pressed into action and earthmovers were brought in to clear the debris scattered on the bypass road near Haibowal Bridge.

The garbage accumulated near the wall all of Lord Mahaveer Homeopathic College and the School for differently abled was also cleaned.

The cleaning drive, however, brought a smile to the residents’ faces who said that the area had been lying in a state of neglect for a long time.

Kanwar Jatinder Singh Bajwa, a resident, said, “Over the years, crossing the Haibowal bridge had become quite a task. We had raised the issue several time but to no avail. But today, I was relieved to see the MC staff carrying out cleaning work. Sadly, the MC got into action only in view of the CM’s visit; otherwise the place would have remained in shambles.”

Manu Dogra, another resident of Haibowal, said the CM should visit the city frequently. “CM’s visit has brought a pleasant change to this route. The roads are being cleaned and potholes are being filled. I would urge the CM to keep visiting different parts of the city so that other areas can also get a facelift,” he said.

Later in the evening, MC commissioner Pradeep Kumar Sabharwal inspected the route that the CM’s cavalcade is expected to take. Heavy police force was also deployed in the area.

Meanwhile, mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu welcomed the chief minister’s visit, stating that it has finally brought in some hustle and bustle as the pandemic had brought life to a standstill. “We are eagerly waiting for the CM as his project will rejuvenate the water body that had turned into a bane for the city,” said the mayor.

New cleaning project new foundation stone

At Haibowal Bridge, the workers were busy preparing the foundation stone of the project that would be inaugurated by the CM on Tuesday.

Interestingly, the foundation stone of 650-crore project of rejuvenation of Buddha Nullah is being set up right in front of the foundation stone of Buddha Nullah in-situ bio-remediation project, which had been inaugurated in 2011 by the then Union minister for environment and forests, Jairam Ramesh and then Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari.

The project, estimated to cost 15.05 crore, had failed badly. Tewari had blamed the SAD-BJP government, which was then in power in the state, for the failure of the project.

The project:

Under the 650-crore Buddha Nullah Nullah Rejuvenation Project, 342 crore would be spent by the state, while 208 crore would be contributed by the centre and 100 crore private operator.

Under the first phase, augmentation and refurbishment of sewage treatment facility, dairy effluent treatment, survey to find out missing links for industrial effluent and laying of dedicated conveyance system for industrial waste water to carry the same to common effluent treatment plant, if required, would be executed.

The second phase, involving 150 crore, would include reuse of treated effluent, and landscaping and beautification along the Buddha Nullah at a cost of 283 crore.

CM’s schedule

After the inauguration of the Buddha Nullah project, the CM will attend an interactive session with traders at Dr Manmohan Singh Auditorium, near Gate No 1, PAU, at 2pm.

He would be accompanied by Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and PWD minister Vijay Inder Singla. It would be broadcast live through video conferencing simultaneously in other districts of the state, from where other cabinet ministers and traders would join in.

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