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Friday, May 13, 2005

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Punjab opts for urbanisation

Staff Correspondent

Development Board clears master plan for Mohali

CHANDIGARH: While the Punjab Regional Town Planning and Development Board has approved the master plan of S.A.S. Nagar, which is a satellite town of Chandigarh, the State Government is contemplating suitable changes in the periphery policy in low density areas.

The housing and urban development department has been asked to draft a new legislation to expedite finalisation of master plans for all urban areas.

The decision gains importance, especially when previous attempts by State Governments headed by the late Beant Singh and subsequently by Parkash Singh Badal, to set up another township near Chandigarh, had to be retracted owing to public pressure.

It is noteworthy that over the past year real estate prices in Chandigarh and its adjoining areas have skyrocketed. The master plan for S.A.S Nagar, which is popularly known as Mohali, along with its surrounding area of 16,500 hectares was approved in the Board's meeting, which was chaired by the Chief Minister, Amarinder Singh. The meeting extended Mohali's sectoral grid up to 107 sectors, situated along the Kharar-Landran-Banur road.

The Board also approved the boundaries of the local planning areas for another satellite town, Zirakpur, covering the entire area under the jurisdiction of the nagar panchayat as well as its surrounding areas. Preparation for the master plans of other satellite towns like Kharar and Lalru were also cleared.

To create proper linkages, the area outside the sectoral grid of these satellite towns, has also been planned for selective and low-density urbanisation.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister proposed a link road to connect Mohali with Chhat village situated on the Zirakpur-Banur section of the Chandigarh-Patiala-Bathinda national highway.

A 300 metre belt on both sides of this proposed 200 feet wide road would be developed by the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) in form of mixed land use, for beautification, prevention of encroachments and provisions of facilities for commuters.

The meeting also decided to take up with the Chandigarh Administration and the Ministry of Surface Transport the need to provide a ring road for Kharar town that would be the natural extension of National Highway No. 21.

The need to capitalise upon the land acquisition along Chandigarh-Ludhiana rail link was suggested in the form of roads on both sides of the track.

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Punjab opts for urbanisation