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| Capt Amarinder Singh |
The multi-crore Ludhiana City Centre project, which has been stuck amid political controversies and financial irregularities, was supposed to bring this industrial hub in the league of bigger cities of the country. But, the stagnant project has now become a source of problems for nearby residents. The partially constructed structures of City Centre, spread over acres of land, are acting as a haven for anti-social elements and drug addicts. The residents also fear other. An offical spokesman for the Punjab government said here today an inquiry had been ordered, which is to be conducted by the Vigilance Bureau.
The multi crore housing-cum-commercial project was proposed to be developed on 25.59 acres of prime land in Ludhiana. A private building company, Today Homes had been allocated the project by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust.
The scam in which crores of rupees are alleged to have exchanged hands was exposed through a sting operation conducted by a private TV-channel recently. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Prakash Singh Badal had yesterday held Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh responsible for the scam and had demanded his resignation and a CBI inquiry.
Mr Badal had alleged that the City Centre, the largest project of its kind in the country, having a covered area of 45 lakh square feet, had been given the go ahead without proper government sanction. The Akali leader further alleged that the entire scam was conceived, masterminded and executed under the direct supervision of the chief minister in a brute and unabashed display of misuse of power.
Mr Badal had alleged that the project was alloted to a little known company at the behest of the Chief Minister, ignoring the claims of a few reputed real estate companies.
The firm persisted with its deeds despite strong objections raised by several bureaucrats against the project until an expose in a national newspaper in September, 2006, after which then CM Capt Amarinder Singh dissolved the LIT and ordered a vigilance probe into the scam. During the initial probe, the state Vigilance found large-scale irregularities in allotment of the project and recommended further investigation in the case. However, the file kept shuttling between one department and another till the Congress government changed. Soon after the Akali-BJP regime came back to power, the vigilance registered an FIR into the case and launched investigation.
Smelling money laundering, the Enforcement Directorate begins investigation asks Vigilance for records City Centre: ED joins VB probeSpread over 25.5 acre of prime land in Ludhiana, the City Centre project was touted to be the fourth largest such project in the world. The land was provided by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust to a Delhi-based private firm on a revenue sharing basis.
According to the plan that was in the process of execution when the scam broke out in 2006, the City Centre project was to have mega shopping malls, 12 multiplexes, a food court, residential apartments, healthcare and museums. The project was also proposed to have a 200-room five-star hotel, with a helipad and a mini golf course on the rooftop, besides a parking space for about 8,000 vehicles. Window on Ludhiana City Centre project May, 2005: Ignoring rules, Delhi-based company Today Homes awarded LIT bid for setting up City Centre project
September, 2006: Punjab Govt dissolves LIT after corruption charges surface; then CM Capt Amarinder orders VB probe
December, 2006: Vigilance probe finds corruption in project; recommends further investigations
February, 2007: SAD-BJP combine comes to power
March, 2007: State Vigilance Bureau registers corruption case against Capt Amarinder, son Raninder and others
May, 2007: Alleged hawala kingpin Chetan Gupta arrested
Decmeber, 2007: Capt Amarinder, 35 others charge-sheeted
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