Covid delays ambitious Sidhwan canal project completion

Ludhiana: Touted as one of the most ambitious projects of the city, the Sidhwan canal water front project, started as part of TOI’s Let’s Save Sidhwan campaign, is all set to face delay due to Covid-19 related lockdown. The project that is being executed as part of Smart City programme, seeks to provide much needed place for amusement and enjoyment here.
Superintendent engineer, Smart City Project Rahul Gagneja, who is getting the project executed, said the first phase of the project from Ferozepur road to Zone D was to have been completed by April end, but due to lockdown, the work on it remained suspended. He added that now work had started again and they expect it to complete by June end.
The senior officer said even the second phase, which was to be completed by June end, will take two more months for completion. He added that even now the agency constructing it is facing about 40% shortage of labour, including workers who do iron related work.
“Till now, we have got a cycle track, footpath, ramps and chairs, wall between water front and leisure valley and fencing on the side of water front constructed, apart from getting grass planted on the first phase of project. As of now plantation of plants is going on apart from other works. As far as the second phase (from zone D to Pakhowal road) of the project is concerned, we have to get a wall constructed between the water front and leisure valley, while fencing is to be done even as we had got poles installed for the same,” said the officer.
The officials said they had got benches placed around a few trees along the 21m width of the 1.15km stretch that has a 3m width for canal inspection, a 6ft high mesh, flower beds between 1.5 to 2m wide, a cycle track of 3m width, 2m green area and a walking track of 3m width. They added that the front has a zig-zag footpath for those coming for a walk along with landscaped area of width 2-3m.
The officials further said that the 1ft 4” wide retaining wall that has come up, separates the Sidhwan water front from the leisure valley down south and there are entrance at four places from leisure valley to water front in the first phase of the project. They added that there would be stairs and ramp here so that elderly person or those on wheel chair can access the water front easily.
Meanwhile, Sidhwan warriors are waiting for the Water front to get completed. “It will be a great place in the city for amusement and enjoyment and that too on the sides of canal. We hope it gets completed soon,” said Pradeep Dhall, a Sidhwan warrior.
Box 1: About the project
On September 8 in 2019, work on the project was inaugurated by cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu in the presence of councillor Mamta Ashu and other dignitaries at the zone D office of the municipal corporation on the side of the Sidhwan canal. The project envisages development of the stretch along the Sidhwan canal, starting from Pakhowal Road till Ludhiana MC zone D office near Ferozepur Road, and includes development of a green belt, dedicated cycling track, playing zone, dedicated footpath along canal, sitting areas, wall climbing activities, etc.
Councillor Mamta Ashu, who worked on the project, along with her husband and cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, had said that 1.15km stretch had been identified for landscape development of Sidhwan canal front in the first phase of Smart City Project. She added that as part of the project, green belts, plus dedicated cycle track on both sides of the double road along the canal, etc. would be developed. The total cost of this project is Rs 4.75 crore and the total length of this stretch is approximately 1.15km while the width is around 21m.