To ensure planned and regulated growth of the holy city of Amritsar, the Punjab government has decided to prepare Rs 250 crore comprehensive master plan for its cohesive development with class infrastructure in terms of road connectivity, drinking water, sewerage facility and uninterrupted power supply.

A decision to this effect was taken in a meeting held here under the chairmanship of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal with the local MLAs and members of Parliament at circuit house. Taking part in the deliberations, Badal said that the master plan would be completed with in six months. He said that out of Rs 250 crore, a sum of Rs 100 crore will be released by Punjab Infrastructure Development Board within a day or two.

The chief minister further said that the sole objective for preparing this master plan of Amritsar was to check the haphazard and unregulated growth for the want of perspective plan.

He underscored the need that the development schemes and projects in the city will be executed only after the finalisation of the blue print. The chief minister asked the local government department to seek the expertise of the renowned consultants from world over in the field of architectural planning to finalise the master plan in a meaningful and result-oriented manner by floating global tenders, keeping in view the long perspective of atleast 100 years.

Badal pointed out that Guru Nanak Dev hospital will be developed as a world-class health care institution with ultra-modern super specialties. Eminent consultants in the field of hospital infrastructure have been engaged for the facelift of the hospital, he added.

Badal categorically said that the master plan sanctioned for the development of the city was in addition to the city development plan approved for Rs 3150 crore under Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewable Mission (JNURM). He also asked the district administration to ensure the completion of elevated road project to Sri Darbar Sahib within the stipulated time schedule.

Taking part in the deliberations, local MP Navjot Singh Sidhu said that the master plan should be implemented in such a way that the contracts for the construction of various projects under the integrated development plan be awarded to construction companies of repute with a proven track of experience and caliber.