Rupnagar Power Colony residents ordered to shift

Land belongs to PCPCL; sources say cash-strapped Punjab govt is looking to generate funds from it

CHANDIGARH: As part of its endeavour to make optimum use of its land, the cash-strapped Punjab government has started the process to get vacated a prime 45 acre stretch in Power Colony, Rupnagar. There are 759 dwelling units in the colony with engineers, officers and employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) living here. PSPCL owns the land.

A committee under the Rupnagar SDM has given a deadline of March 31 for vacation of houses, subsequent to which the PSPCL has issued notices to occupants.

In the order, issued around ten days ago, occupants have been told to shift to Nuho Colony,

which is adjacent to the Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant (GGSSTP) on the outskirts of Rupnagar city.

Sources said the government plans to generate additional funds from the land under the Government’s Optimum Utilisation of Vacant Government Land (OUVGL) scheme. The government has followed a similar pattern to make optimum use of the residential colony attached with the now-defunct Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Power Plant (GNDTP), Bathinda. This plant was shut on January 1, 2018. At the same time, two units of GGSSTP were also closed, leading to lower staff requirement.

Spread over 400-acre, the Thermal Colony in Bathinda has emerged as a preferred option for real estate developers, as it has 55 independent houses and over 1,000 flats, but many are in a dilapidated condition. Rupnagar Power Colony also has buildings in poor condition.

A number of dwelling units in Power Colony and the Nuho Colony were vacant, so the SDM-led committee decided to shift all of these to Nuho. Some police officers and members of the civil administration also reside in Power Colony, their fate remains unclear. PSPCL finance director Jatinder Goyal said, “A number of dwelling units were vacant in both the colonies. It has been decided to bring all dwellers to Nuho Colony.”

He refused to share the plans of the government for the land, once it was vacated. PSPCL had decided on the vacation of houses in July 2020, but the decision could not be operationalised due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A number of dwelling units were vacant in both the colonies. It has been decided to bring all dwellers to Nuho Colony. JATINDER GOYAL,

PSPCL finance director