Shapoorji Pallonji Group meets Badal, interested in construction projects in state

Civic projects, group housing, low cost housing on the group's radar

Shapoorji Pallonji Group has evinced interest in developing civic projects in Punjab besides group housing in partnership with PUDA (Punjab Urban Development Authority). The group is also interested in developing a mega solar park, the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) planned for Amritsar city and construction of mass housing for the economically weaker sections across the State.

Briefing the delegation led by Shapoorji P Mistry, Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab, said that the state government was planning to give the complete development and maintenance of sewerage, water supply and road network in a city or town to one company. He said under this plan, the company concerned, would not only create the infrastructure but also maintain it for a 10 year period.

The deputy CM said besides outsourcing maintenance of all civic infrastructure to private companies in the four corporation cities, the government was keen that companies take up development and maintenance of civic infrastructure in all 140 towns in the State in the next three years.

Badal said PUDA was in the process of inviting bids for construction of 900 flats at Ludhiana and 700 flats at Bathinda. On this, Mistry requested that the projects be offered to investors by following the Swiss Challenge mode, saying his company wanted to take them up from the design stage. He also agreed to construct group housing for economically backward sections after Badal said the State government had decided to construct one lakh affordable houses.

The Deputy CM also mooted a proposal to the group to establish a 10,000 mega watt mega solar park, saying the government was ready for a unique partnership to make it possible.

“We pay an Rs 6,000 crore subsidy to Powercom as part of free power given to farmers for tube well operations. We can evolve a mechanism whereby you can supply power to farmers and be paid for the same”, he said.

Calling the Shapoorji group to invest in exhibition and conventional centers to be built in Mohali, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar, the Deputy CM said that the first exhibition centre would be set up at Mohali, near International Airport in 50 acres with the estimated cost of Rs 235 crore.

Downtown projects in Ludhiana and Mohali also took the centre stage during the talks.