Major development plans have been initiated in the last two years in Bathinda, one of the oldest towns of Punjab. The city that boasts of having Asia?s biggest railway junction and well-connected to each and every part of the country through rail network has drawn major projects worth Rs 50,000 crore.
If all goes as planned then Bathinda will emerge as a modern industrial hub in the coming years. The industrial growth of the city received a major push with the commencement of the ambitious project Guru Gobind Singh Refineries Ltd (GGSRL) attracting investment of Rs 18,900 crore. GGSRL is being commissioned in Bathinda by a joint venture of HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd.
In order to ensure industrial growth, the Punjab government has also vowed to make the city free from power cuts by March. The work is underway to set up two power plants including 1980-mw Talwandi Sabo thermal power project (Rs 10,000 crore) and 2640-mw Gidderbaha thermal power project at a cost of Rs 13,200 crore. Besides an international cricket stadium, flying academy, domestic airport, modern bus stand four mega malls-cum multiplexes, one five star hotel and few budget hotels, super specialty cancer hospital and Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) are on anvil. Apart from this a central university is being set up in the district for which the central government has given its nod. Bhathinda, a cotton capital of Punjab has also witnessed emergence of various real estate projects including the most ambitious project of Delhi-based Best City Infrastructure India Private Limited (BCIIPL), who is developing a dream project called ?Best City Centre? worth Rs 600 crore over 4.5 acre.
Interestingly the company had grabbed the deal for this piece of land by paying exorbitant sum of Rs 184 crore (Rs 84,400 per sq yard), against the reserve price of Rs 135 crore fixed by the Bathinda Development Authority.
?The growth of the city is firm because it is being patronised by current Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders as their close association with Badal village of Bathinda,? said deputy commissioner Rahul Tewari.
Commenting on the fate of big plans for the city, Rahul Tewari said, ?All the major projects will see the light of the day in coming years. In the time span of five years the city will have modern infrastructure. Though economic slowdown has shown its impact on the real estate sector due to which few projects have been delayed but all big projects will take off as top political leaders have shown their great enthusiasm to develop the city?.
An industrial hub in the making
• Two power plants including 1980-mw Talwandi Sabo thermal power project (Rs 10,000 crore) and 2640-mw Gidderbaha thermal power project at a cost of Rs 13,200 crore would to be set up
• The Punjab government has also vowed to make the city free from power cuts by March
• International cricket stadium, flying academy, domestic airport, modern bus stand four mega malls-cum multiplexes, one five star hotel and few budget hotels, super specialty cancer hospital and Institute of Hotel Management (IHM) are on anvil
• Delhi-based Best City Infrastructure India Private Limited (BCIIPL) is developing a dream project called ?Best City Centre? worth Rs 600 crore over 4.5 acre
• The company had grabbed the deal for this piece of land by paying exorbitant sum of Rs 184 crore (Rs 84,400 per sq yard), against the reserve price of Rs 135 crore fixed by the Bathinda Development Authority