The Punjab Government on Wednesday promised to make the “land of five rivers” a State of five cities — Smart City, Medicity, Education city, Information Technology (IT) city, and Safe City.
In the Budget proposals presented by State Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, the State Government proposed to develop a smart city — best planned city, Medicity — comprising world class multi-specialty hospitals, medical colleges, research institutes, Education City — having international level educational facilities right from school to research level, and IT city — housing leading IT companies.
Besides, the state government has already initiated the process of coming up with Safe Cities to ensure safe environment to the people, on the pattern of New York City, by deploying latest and most sophisticated crime prevention technology solutions. Dhindsa announced that ‘New Chandigarh’ has been developed by the state government on the concept of smart city. Coming up on the approximate area of 15,000 acres, New Chandigarh, commonly known as Mullanpur, “is being planned to ensure it finds a place among the best planned cities in the world”.
“The city, in the foot hills of Shiwaliks, will be a green, eco city with approximately 30 per cent of the area as green area. The city will be a self-contained city and will not be a satellite town of Chandigarh and will act as a counter magnet to Chandigarh. The city will have a unique and world class medical and educational infrastructure,” said Dhindsa.
He said that Medicity, on an area of approximately 250 acre, “is being developed with an approximate project cost of Rs 700 crore”. “This Medicity will comprise of world class multi-speciality hospitals along with medical colleges and medical research institutes. 50 acres of land has already been allotted to Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre under the Union Department of Atomic Energy. Rest of the land will soon be made available to medical hospitals and institutes of repute,” added Dhindsa, while presenting the budget.
To develop the human resource in the state, an Education City is also planned on an area of approximately 1600 acre with a cost of Rs 4,000 crore. “This education city will have educational facilities of international standards from school age to research level including branch campuses of leading international universities,” said Dhindsa.
He said that it will also be conceived as a forum where universities share research and forge relationships with businesses and institutions. To generate employment in the state, the state government has proposed IT city on an area of approximately 1700 acre in close proximity to International Airport at SAS Nagar, to be developed by GMADA.
land has already been allotted to 20 leading IT companies and 23 more applications, received from the IT companies for allotment of land, are under process, said the Minister. He said: “I am happy to announce that 50 acre of land has been allotted to IT giant INFOSYS, which has already started the process of developing its campus. INFOSYS chairman NR Narayana Murthy has announced creation of 5,000 jobs in next three years with an ultimate goal of 25,000 jobs. IT city will generate more than 50,000 jobs in the coming years.”