Major development works in halfway house in Ferozepur

Major development works in halfway house in Ferozepur

Ferozepur, December 5, 2016:  In spite of tall claims of Punjab Government led by Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, for overall development in the state during nine years tenure, the major projects in this border town stands ignored – PGI Satellite Centre, Railway Under Bridge and Ferozepur-Patti Rail Link and construction of Bandala Bridge which will shorten the distance between Ferozepur-Amritsar – are yet to see the light of the day.

PGI Satellite Centre – three years ago, a landmark decision of the government to give relief to the patients was a dire need of this border down, which will give a fillip to the health care needs in this border town, who have to move out of Ferozepur on referral basis.  All initial formalities for setting of this establishment – transfer of land, even additional requirement of land – stand completed which was sanctioned way back in 2013 during the fag-end of the UPA-II regime. The dilly-dallying attitude of the government to start this project is struck in procedural wrangles and had become a bone of contention between the BJP and Congress as latter had been accusing leaders of the saffron party of sabotaging the project since it was sanctioned during the Congress led government at the Centre.

The politicians are indulging in political tough and challenging fest over the major service project of 100-bedded hospital to be linked to the PGIMER Chandigarh, said Subhash Chander, Secretary, PDM Memorial Foundation.

Mangat Ram, member of Senior Citizen Forum said, no politician is bothered  for the residents of border town who are shouting for better health facilities for the last more than a decade.

Regarding, Rail Under Bridge at Basti Tankan Wali which connects the Ferozepur City and Cantt, the design has been finalized and the required amount of Rs.10 crore has been handed over the railway authorities but it too is yet to start.  In the absence of RUB, the people who pass through the Tankan Wali Basti, has to be wait for even 30-40 minutes some time as the railway crossing comes inbetween the shunting range of the power engines.

The third major project yet to come up is Ferozepur-Patti Rail Link that too has been in limbo since 2013 which will reduce the distance between Ferozepur and Amritsar from 118 KM to 86 KM and the distance between Amritsar and Mumbai will be shortened by 240 KM, Jammu and Mumbai by 267 KM, besides saving a lot of time and transportation cost. This project too was approved in Rail Budget in 2013, the work did not begin for want of land by the State Government and bearing the half of the cost of railway stretch of Rs.200 crore.

Another project of construction Bandala Bridge which will shorten the distance between Ferozepur-Amritsar to 30 KMs.  It is pertinent to mention that the foundation stone of this project at a cost of Rs.14 crore was laid about five years back Novemner 18, 2011 between Kot Budda Pattan in Ferozepur and Toot Sabhrawan in Tarn Taran and was allotted to a construction company of Sangrur.  Initially the work on this project was started from Tarn Taran side but due to non release of funds, the construction work was stopped.

While the Hari Ke Pattan bridge over Satluj River divides Ferozepur and Tarn Taran district.  Both these districts are not directly connected with the rail or road link and the people have to travel via Patti-HariKe-Makhu-Zira or via Patti Harike-Makhu-Mallanwala routes and for rail link, they have to travel through a longer distance of 72 KMs from Ferozepur via Jalandhar-Beas-Amrisar. With the construction of this bridge the distance will be reduced on 42 KMs.

According to the flying bird, the reason behind non linking of this route via rail or road is said to be transporters whose business will be considerably reduced if both these routes are put operational.

However, Cabinet Minister Adesh Partap Kairon during his recent visit to Ferozepur has assured that the work on this project will start within ten days and will be completed in a period of one year.