7 years on, Jalandhar sports hub under Smart City project hangs fire
JALANDHAR: Seven years since the Centre announced to set up a sports hub under Smart City mission in Jalandhar’s Burlton park, the proposed project hangs fire.
Estimated cost of the project, which was to come up on 60 acres of land, was ₹77.77-crore.
On January 6, 2022, Jalandhar Municipal Corporation (MC) awarded tender for setting up of the sports hub to a Chandigarhbased company, AS Enterprises Private Limited, with a condition that project should witness completion in 12 months.
Even as four months have passed since expiry of stipulated deadline, the executing agency has managed to construct only a boundary wall at the proposed site. The MC has now terminated the tender allotted to the executing agency.
Jalandhar municipal commissioner, Abhijit Kaplish said despite repeated showcause notices, the executing agency failed to explain as to why it could not start development of the site area, as laid down in the detailed project report, which it had submitted.
“We will start the tendering process afresh following the decision on the arbitration proceedings,” the municipal commissioner said.
One of the officials said the corporation had issued multiple showcause notices to the company to complete the project as per terms and conditions, following which they are left with no other option but to terminate the contract.
“An amount of ₹1.13-crore was also released to the company soon after it was awarded tender but it failed to start actual works besides doing construction of the peripheral wall,” an official said.
He added that the arbitration proceedings have now been initiated after the company moved legal notice to the corporation over cancellation of the contract.
“Three-panel committee of arbitrators will be formed to look into the whole process. The deciding arbitration proceedings is a lengthy process, as everything has to be brought on record, before giving any judicial orders,” he said.
Under the project, new infrastructure for various types of sports along with improving existing sports facilities will be developed including outdoor sports facilities which includes cricket stadium, astroturf hockey ground and 7-side football ground (natural grass), each with separate pavilion areas.
It also includes multipurpose indoor sports facilities to be developed for multiple disciplines and other allied facilities including yoga shed, skating rink, development of cycle track and jogging track.
In 2016, the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs under its Smart City Mission declared Jalandhar to be developed as a Smart City in which sports hub was among one of the key projects. When contacted on company’s landline number in Chandigarh, the receiver, who didn’t wish to disclose his identity, said, “Only the concerned department can state the reasons of why the contract was terminated.”