Clock tower beautification project gets under way

Ludhiana: The iconic clock tower will finally get a new look altogether as its beautification project has been kicked off under the smart city mission. In the next 15 days the monument will be decorated with colourful lights. The project was supposed to be started in February or March but initially, due to Covid-19 lockdown and then followed by shortage of labour, the project got delayed.
Now, labourers have been deputed on the task to clean up the tower and install lights on it. The officials claimed that it is expected that by July 15 the work will be completed and they will hand over the project to the residents.
While confirming the same, the chief executive officer of smart city mission Sanyam Aggarwal said, “The work has started at the site and in the next 15 days the clock tower will welcome the residents with decorative lights.” He further said that they would take up more such beautification projects at other locations as well.
However, regarding the changing the clocks of the monument, no decision has been taken so far. One of the officials claimed that the clocks of the tower had never the shown right time and besides, all four clocks show different time. He said they had suggested that some big company involved in the manufacturing of clocks and watches should be hired for changing the clocks of this tower and in return should write name of their company over it.
Apart from this, the officials were supposed to take over landscaping of adjoining land but even that could not become successful. The shopkeepers and residents demand an overall beautification of the monument so that people should admire it.
Meanwhile, Satish Sharma, a shopkeeper in Chaura Bazaar said, “The lights will look beautiful, but there should be overall development around it as the nearby area should also be cleaned up properly and there should not be encroachments around this ancient clock tower.”