Kaushik unfolds his smart city dream for Haridwar

The State Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik said that laying underground electricity power cables, water pipelines and gas pipelines in Haridwar by way of making it a smart city is his dream and he is working tirelessly to fulfil it. Besides, his priority is on elevating roads and linking inroads to the National Highway to facilitate the tourists. He also dwelt on many other Government plans meant for the city while participating in ‘Samvad’ organised in the Press club here on Tuesday.

The Minister, further, said that the Kumbh Nagar area would be expanded if the members of the Akhadas desire the same. Commenting on the recent High Court order on removal of encroachments  from roads in Haridwar, Kaushik said, under street vendor policy and Malin Basti Sudhar Yojna, the efforts were on to remove encroachments from the roads. Through vending zones programme under which the whole district would be divided into fixed vending zones, the problem of encroachment would be rightly dealt with, he said.

The Minister said that under a programme, a scheme worth Rs 19 crore was proposed to solve the drinking water problem which, when implemented in the four zones of the district, would ensure running water supply for 24 hours in the respective areas.

Asked on BHEL under-bridge and other low-lying areas going under water during rains, the Minister said that a programme of constructing an underground water seepage system which would throw water seven kms away from the site in Babhutawala Baag area was under review.

On the issue of music system amplifiers being used during the Kanwad mela, the Minister said that the State Government could hardly do anything on the matter. “The district administration should deal with it,” said the Minister.

Quizzed over the delay in the completion of the highway broadening work, Kaushik said that the matter might be resolved in 10 days, the case pending before the High Court. “The company which was given contract for the work went  bankrupt. Two months  have been given to the company and thereafter things would be decided through the court. If the court does not give stay order, the State Government would open tender and the remaining work would be completed soon,” said the minister.

The Minister asserted that works are being done in the Centre and the State with utmost transparency since BJP formed the Governments. “But the culture nurtured for years can hardly be erased overnight,” he said while taking a dig at the Congress without naming it.