Experts of Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC) have initiated the work to conduct soil testing at Jainpur site to develop a sports park in 32 acres of land.

A sports park is to be developed at the Jainpur village at a cost of around ₹52 crore under the Smart City Mission. It has been planned to set up playgrounds for cricket, football, hockey, lawn tennis, etc, at the sports park.

Cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, mayor Balkar Sandhu and municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal visited the site along with civic body officials and experts from GNDEC to kickstart the work on Monday.

A huge amount of legacy waste (garbage) is lying at the site for a long time. The MC has decided to use the legacy waste in the foundation of the park after consulting the experts.

Mayor Balkar Sandhu said, “There is no need to shift the legacy waste from the site as most of it has been turned into soil over the years. The experts from GNDEC have started soil testing and the project would be commenced at the earliest. Apart from a cricket ground, infrastructure would also be developed for hockey, lawn tennis, basketball among other games at a cost of around ₹52 crores.”

Earlier the consultant company of Smart City Mission had tabled a proposal to shift the legacy waste from the site at the cost of around ₹20 crores. But the proposal was declined by Ashu and Balkar Sandhu.

Ashu said, “The project was hanging fire for a long time as no one took the initiative. We have been conducting meetings in the last few months and soil testing is now being conducted. The officials are also preparing a detailed project report, following which tenders would be floated. It is expected that the construction work will begin by December.”

Expedite construction of ROB, RUBs: Ashu tells officials

Cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Monday held a meeting with officials of the MC and railway to take stock of the ongoing construction work of rail overbridge (ROB) and two rail under bridges (RUBs) on Pakhowal road here. He was accompanied by mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu and MC commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal.

The minister asked the officials to expedite the construction of the bridges, especially the under path (RUB) first to facilitate the traffic. The construction of a ROB and two RUBs on Pakhowal Road has been a long pending demand of the city residents. This joint project is worth around ₹120 crore and would provide a much-needed respite from traffic congestion to the city residents.

To ease the traffic movement and avoid congestions due to the construction, the minister also requested railway officials to temporarily open the level crossing near the ROB on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur section during the construction period for smooth execution of the project.