Chandigarh: Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday indicated that three of Chandigarh’s four long-pending demands would be addressed immediately after Diwali but did not specify which ones. The proposals being pursued by the UT administration with the Centre include permanent ownership rights for rehabilitation-colony residents, extending the mayor’s tenure from one year to 2.5 years, converting leasehold commercial and industrial properties into freehold, and amendments to Chandigarh Master Plan.Speaking at Chandigarh Police’s 60th Raising Day celebrations at Tiranga Park in Sector 17, Shah praised Punjab Governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria for his persistent follow-up on the issues.“Ye Gulab Chand ji hamare bahut achhe prashasak, Rajasthan ke bade neta rahe hain, saalon tak vidhayak ban-ban kar aate rahe hain, saalon tak grih mantri bhi rahe. Mere peeche bhi bahut pad jaate hain—ye kar do, woh kar do, ye de do, woh de do,” Shah said (Gulab Chand ji is a very good administrator and a senior leader from Rajasthan. He has served as an MLA for years and as home minister. He keeps pursuing me too—asking me to get this done, do that, give this and give that).He said Kataria had placed before him issues that had remained unresolved for decades, adding: “Saalon se matlab 30-40-40 saal se” (By years, I mean 30 to 40 years).Shah said he could have announced the decisions at the event, but wanted Kataria to make them at a separate programme, given the administrator’s detailed study of the issues and efforts to find solutions.“Magar main Chandigarh walon ko batana chahta hoon, chaar mein se teen kaam Diwali ke tohfe ke roop mein Kataria ji Diwali ke baad turant karne wale hain,” he said (But I want to tell the people of Chandigarh that three of the four issues will be addressed by Kataria ji immediately after Diwali as a Diwali gift).The administration has already moved the Centre on the proposals. Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC) recently approved the UT administration’s proposal for amendments to the Master Plan, while proposals for ownership rights to rehabilitation-colony allottees and freehold conversion of leasehold commercial and industrial properties have also been submitted.Shah said Chandigarh residents would hear from Kataria about the resolution of three major problems within a week. He said the city would be freed from issues that had remained unresolved for 30 to 40 years.He also said the BJP govt under Prime Minister Narendra Modi would work to make Chandigarh the country’s number one administrative unit, describing it as Modi’s promise to the city’s residents.Shah also cited Chandigarh Police’s performance in national assessments, saying it had secured the first position in the country in beat policing, ranked second in police response and stood first in the implementation of the three new criminal laws.Rs 258 crore development packageApart from the assurance on the long-pending demands, Shah announced a Rs 258-crore development package for Chandigarh, comprising two completed projects inaugurated at the event and foundation stones for seven new projects.The two inaugurated projects, together costing Rs 80 crore, included Government High School at Sarangpur, built at a cost of Rs 12 crore, and the CTU bus depot at Raipur Kalan, developed at a cost of Rs 68 crore.Shah said the Raipur Kalan depot would be developed as the country’s number one inter-state bus depot.The seven projects for which foundation stones were laid involve an investment of Rs 178 crore. These include 192 Type-III houses at the Chandigarh Armed Police complex in Dhanas; a pedestrian subway connecting the General Hospital side with Panjab University; a new police station in Sector 49; a boys’ hostel at Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology in Sector 26; a gymnasium hall at Government College, Sector 46; upgradation of the Sector 7 sports complex; and 15 security checkposts at the city’s entry and border points.The housing project is estimated to cost Rs 84 crore, while the pedestrian subway will cost Rs 12 crore, the Sector 49 police station Rs 21 crore, the CCET hostel Rs 25 crore, the Sector 46 gymnasium Rs 11 crore, the Sector 7 sports complex upgrade Rs 20 crore and the checkposts Rs 5 crore.
