In order to ensure a planned future expansion and to prevent mushrooming of unplanned construction in Punjab, the state government is deliberating over to design the master plan for 30 towns.
To carry out the plan, Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA), had received response from six companies, from the USA, Singapore, Malaysia and India. PUDA has also invited bids, to select a reputed company for executing the task.
While talking to FE, Punjab local bodies and industry minister, Manoranjan Kalia said, ?The master plan of towns of the state, will be on the lines of Mohali and Ludhiana, where Singapore-based company Jurong is busy preparing the detailed strategy, for which the government has paid around eight crore to the company. PUDA is expected to allocate the work of other towns to that company who will have the lowest bid. This procedure will see completion within a month. The companies which will be assigned the job, will have to prepare the master plan in one year?
Manoranjan added, that master plan will help in having planned development of these towns in sectors like roads, residential, commercial areas, hospitals, industries besides educational institutions.
According to chief administrator PUDA, Som Parkash, the companies engaged for the job, would first prepare the vision document for each town, to advise the government and PUDA on regulations, by-laws and policy, apart from other related issues. Once the master plan comes out, then any change in land use would be allowed as per the plan only in the state.