Addressing a conference on 'Chandigarh: Issues & Challenges' organised by PHD Chamber of Commerce here, Bansal, who also represents the Chandigarh parliamentary constituency, noted that lack of planning in and around the major cities was taking a toll on the urban infrastructure.
"Post independence, the country could have planned 30 such cities as Chandigarh but owing to lack of planning, there has been haphazard development on the peripheries of most of the cities," he said.
Bansal also laid emphasis on developing tricity with integrated and improvised services like healthcare, education and transport through the Rapid Mass Transport System.
Underlining the need for judicious utilisation of natural resporces, Bansal appealed to the people to use water rationally to meet future requirements.
The minister noted that an effective traffic management was need of the hour in wake of the fact that Chandigarh tops the list when it comes to the per-capita usage of cars.
Earlier Vikram Sahgal, Chairman of Chandigarh Committee of PHD Chamber of Commerce noted that infrastructure facilities in Chandigarh were getting affected due to haphazard, unauthorised and sub-standard growth, and called for appropriate strategy to deal with the issue.
