AKHILESH TO LAY FOUNDATION OF IT CITY, IIIT ON OCTOBER 15

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav would lay the foundation of IT City, an IIIT and a host of other projects — part of the proposed CG City township — on Sultanpur Road here on October 15.

HCL chairman Shiv Nadar, whose company would be giving shape to the IT City, and prominent cardiologist Dr Naresh Trehan, whose Medanta Medicity project is coming up in Ansal API township, are also expected to attend the foundation laying function.

Chief secretary Alok Ranjan held a meeting with principle secretaries of IT and other departments to give final touches to the inaugural ceremony.

Set to mark the city’s presence in the Silicon club, the ambitious project is part of the state government’s much larger plan to develop CG City as a selfsustained, mini-satellite ultra modern township, equipped with all amenities.

But despite its top-priority status, the project seems to be lagging almost a year behind its schedule. Besides a world-class cancer institute and a super specialty cardiology centre in the proposed medi-city, the CG City would also house a modern dairy plant, an IIIT and the UP Administrative Academy and Management building.

Ranjan, who was reviewing its progress on Wednesday, has asked officials to pull up their socks and expedite groundwork on the project. “I would be personally monitoring its progress each month now,” he told the officials, particularly the managing director of UP Rajkiye Nirman Nigam (UPRNN) and the top brass of Animal Husbandry Department.

A sister concern of PWD department, the UPRNN has been assigned the task to build the administrative academy and cancer institute buildings that would be unique in their design and architecture. “We were given July 15 to complete all necessary formalities and paper work related to these projects,” said an official adding that despite efforts and review they had not been able to fast track the project because of red-tape.

The existing office buildings and auxiliary structures of the Animal Husbandry Department at the site are to be demolished in a phased manner only after the livestock and other activities being carried out by them are relocated and alternative arrangements is made for their staff. And this is where the problem lies, as the two alternative sites -- Niblet in Barabanki and Rehman Kheda, where these utilities are to be relocated -- are yet to come up.

Ranjan has now directed principal secretary, housing to carry out an on-the-spot inspection of not only these two sites but also that of CG City to get the work expedited.