06022023-LT-01.qxd 2/6/2023 12:34 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune KHELO INDIA GAMES: PB GIRLS RETAIN TITLE IN BASKETBALL SUMBUL KHAN BIDS ADIEU TO BIGG BOSS HOUSE SHAH RUKH KHAN ALL PRAISE FOR TEAM JAWAN Punjab eves overpowered Chhattisgarh 73-56 in the final match to emerge basketball champions. P2 This Weekend Ka Vaar was hosted by Karan Johar, and Sumbul Touqeer Khan stood evicted. P3 Shah Rukh Khan will next be seen in Jawan, collaborating with South Indian actors. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 24°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 10°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.06 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7.16 AM » MONDAY | 6 FEBRUARY 2023 | LUDHIANA Contract cancelled, fresh tenders invited to complete airport project 11 trains cancelled, others running behind schedule One of the two contractors defaulted, work to be completed by June Ludhiana, February 5 Even as the weather has improved a wee bit in the region with a rise in temperature, the railway schedule — thrown out of gear due to persistent fog and extreme weather conditions — is yet to take a turn for the better. As a result, passengers, including elderly people, women and children, are helpless to wait for hours for their delayed trains or change plans after some trains are cancelled at the eleventh hour. The Railways announced the cancellation of 11 trains while the same number of trains were running behind schedule on Sunday. Nitin Jain TURN OF EVENTS Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February4 In a bid to further accelerate the pace of the ongoing work on the upcoming international airport at Halwara here, the contract of one of the two construction agencies has been cancelled and fresh tenders have been called to allot the remaining work, the government has confirmed. The cancellation was ordered by the Public Works Department (PWD), which is executing the project work, after the contractor refused to complete the remaining allied work, officials have revealed. To avoid any further delay in completing the project, which had already missed several deadlines following several halts since its inception, the PWD has also issued a fresh tender of the remaining work involving construction of internal roads, estate public health services and campus lighting of the interim airport terminal building at an estimated cost of Rs 15.87 crore. While February 16 has been fixed as the last date for submission of bids, the work will be allotted to the most eligible bidder after opening the bids on February 17. Meanwhile, the ongoing work to construct an interim terminal building has further picked up pace almost two-and-a-half months after it resumed and has touched almost one-third mark till date. The work had resumed on November 17 last after the state government had made available Rs 50-crore corpus for the project. A senior government functionary told The Tribune, here on Saturday that the remain- Thieves decamp with huge stock of tyres from shop Ludhiana, February 5 Thieves targeted a tyre showroom in Transport Nagar here and decamped with a huge stock of tyres. CCTV cameras had captured the crime. The Moti Nagar police yesterday registered a case against unidentified miscreants and launched a probe to crack the case. Showroom owner Bhupinder Singh said he owns BS Tyres showroom. On the night of February 1, he had locked his showroom and the next day when he came to open it, he was shocked to see the broken locks of the main shutter. When he entered the showroom, he found that thieves stole 16 expensive tyres from the showroom. The complainant said as per CCTV footage, five thieves had committed the theft. After breaking the locks of the main shutter, one of the miscreants had entered the showroom while four kept standing outside to keep a watch. ASI Vijay Kumar said after registering a case against the unidentified thieves, the CCTV footage was being scanned to get any clue about them. Even CCTV footage of other shops were also being checked to crack the case in minimal possible time. Sources said the police were suspecting the role of some suspects who had recently come out on bail. — TNS Work in progress at the upcoming international airport in Halwara, Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN PROJECT REPORT TOTAL AREA: 161.28 ACRES | TERMINAL AREA: 2,000 SQ M | AWARDED COST: ~3,876.65 LAKH BOUNDARY WALL, APPROACH ROAD COST: ~309.33 CRORE | MISSED DEADLINES: JANUARY AND JUNE 2022 | FRESH DEADLINE: JUNE 30 ing work to build the new international airport has been taken up on a war-footing and all stops have been pulled to complete the ambitious project at the earliest. He said flight operations from the new terminal building had been targeted to begin any time before June 30 before which the new international airport will be made operational by completing the construction work and finalising the statutory compliance for operational purposes. “The Civil Aviation Department has begun the process to launch the flight operations by the time a new airport comes up,” the functionary said, while asserting that both terminal building and internal roads will be built before June 30. Of the total allocation of Rs 50 crore by the state government, a sum of Rs 12.5 crore had already been transferred while the total requirement estimated so far was of Rs 45 crore. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had recently visited the site and had directed the officers concerned to complete the ongoing work within three months. “We have put the work on a fasttrack mode and no delay will be tolerated at any cost,” the CM asserted, while adding that there was no dearth of funds. Pertinently, the construction of interim terminal building and allied works at the cost of Rs 47 crore had been stalled in March last after the contractors, who had been awarded the work, had refused to carry on the ambitious project following non- payment of their dues. It was in November last that the state government had formally taken over the pending work to build the international airport coming up at the Air Force Station in Halwara, which is one of the oldest frontline airbases of the Indian Air Force (IAF), close to Ludhiana. For the purpose, the Finance Department has released a sum of Rs 30 crore while the Housing and Urban Development Department (HUDD) through the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) has undertaken to bear the expenditure of Rs 20 crore. MP hails decision Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora, who had been pressing hard for the ear- November 9, 2022: Punjab Government decides to take up the project and release Rs 50 crore for remaining work. Nov 17, 2022: Work resumes. May 2022: State government approached AAI to bear the cost of the remaining work after GLADA failed to release funds. March 2022: Both contractors stopped work for want of payments. Dec 9, 2021: Work awarded to construct interim airport terminal at Rs 2,272.5 lakh. Nov 8, 2021: Work of internal roads & allied infraawarded at ~1,604.15L. Oct 22, 2021: AAI accorded formal nod to construct new interim terminal building at Rs 4,691.12 lakh. Oct 26, 2021: Punjab Civil Aviation Secretary issued administrative approval for release of Rs 4,290.42 lakh through GLADA. Our Correspondent A majority of frustrated passengers who were left in the lurch due erratic running of trains complained also of inadequate arrangements at the sitting/ waiting area at the railway station and platforms, and poor quality of food and other eatables sold at the platforms. The trains cancelled for the day included 12241/42 AmritsarChandigarhAmritsar Express, 14217/ 18 Chandigarh- VaranasiChandigarh Unchaahar Express, 12717 KolkataAmritsar-Akaltakht Express, 14505/ 06 Amritsar- Nangal Dam -Amritsar Express, 14617/18 Banmankhi-Amritsar-Jansewa Express, 14674 AmritsarJaynagar Shaheed Express, 15904 Chandi- garh- Dibrugarh Express and 19614 Amritsar- Ajmer Express. Trains running late 1 to 3 hours: 14615 Lalkuan-Amritsar Express and 04503 Ambala CanttLudhiana Passenger. Over 3 hours: 12237 Varanasi-Jammu Tawi Begumpura Express, 12752 Jammu Tawi-Nanded and 33424 AmritsarGorakhpur Superfast Express. 5 to 7 hours: 22551 Darbhanga-Jalandhar City Antyodaya Express, 13307 Dhanbad-Firozepur Ganga Sutlej Express, 12355 Patna-Jammu Tawi Archana Express, 13005 Howrah-Amritsar Mail and 12231 Howrah-Jammu Tawi Himgiri Express. ly completion of the project, has hailed the government’s decision and has directed the authorities concerned to expedite the remaining work for its early completion. “The project is close to my heart and our government will leave no stone unturned to make the airport operational within the next few months,” asserted Arora, after visiting the project site. Airport to take off soon: CM “We are committed to start operations at the new international airport in Halwara by mid-this year and have taken up the project on a priority basis to ensure its completion within the minimum possible time. No dearth of funds will come in the way of the project,” CM Bhagwant Mann said. Passengers are helpless to wait for hours for their delayed trains or change plans after some trains are cancelled at the eleventh hour. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA 3 nabbed with drugs, illicit liquor Flesh trade: Role of more cops, hotels under lens Ludhiana, February 5 The city police yesterday arrested three drug and liquor smugglers in separate incidents. A huge quantity of heroin and liquor were also seized from their possession. In the first case, the Sahnewal police nabbed Karamjit Singh, alias Sonu, a resident of Nabha Gate, Patiala, and recovered 340 gm of heroin from his possession. ASI Balwinder Singh said a police party was conducting a routine checking on GT Road where on suspicion, a pedestrian was asked to stop for checking. “He tried to flee but was chased down by the police officials. Later during frisking, 340 gm of heroin was seized from him. The suspect was on the way to deliver heroin to his clients,” the ASI said. Now, the police remand of the suspect would be sought from court so that the entire drug supply line can be busted and big drug suppliers involved in the racket be nabbed. A case has been registered. In another case, the PAU police nabbed Sunny Singh, a resident of Rishi Nagar, and seized 75 gm of drug powder from his possession. Investigating officer ASI Mahinder Kumar said during a routine checking at Baloke village, a pedestrian was stopped for checking, which led to the seizure of the drug powder. A case has been registered. The Jamalpur police arrested Ajay Kumar, a resident of Ram Nagar, and seized 12 bottles of illicit liquor from his possession. ASI Jagjit Singh said a tip-off was received that the suspect was involved in liquor smuggling and he was present in some empty plot to deliver illicit liquor to his clients. Accordingly, a police party conducted a raid and nabbed the suspect with illicit liquor. A case under the Excise Act was registered against him and further probe was launched in the case. — TNS A day before, two policemen were suspended for alleged inaction in case Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 5 After the suspension of two police officials by Ludhiana Commissioner of Police (CP) Mandeep Singh Sidhu for failing to take action against the ongoing flesh trade in three hotels near the bus stand in the city, sources said role of some other police personnel had also been under scanner. Even some other hotels where flesh trade is suspected to be going on for a long time may also face police action in the near future. When Sidhu joined here as CP he had categorically stated , that he would have zero tolerance against corruption. He had clearly given a hint that he would reward police officials for their good performance and would also punish non-performing ones. Recently, he also gave rewards to many performing officials. Notably, yesterday, CIA-1 inspector Rajesh Kumar and in-charge, Kochar Market police post, ASI Bheesham Dev, was placed under suspension by Sidhu for failing to control the menace of flesh trade being run openly in hotels. A day before the suspension of the two police officials, the police had also con- ducted a raid at three hotels near the bus stand and nabbed 13 women and five men from those hotels. Sources said senior police officials had been observing the working of two police personnel (now suspended) for the past sometime and after finding their ‘lethargic and nonperforming attitude’ against the hotels involved in the flesh trade, the former placed them under suspension. The sources maintained that since the CP had asked a senior police official to conduct a departmental probe and submit report within a month, now, the latter would also find out the reason of not taking action against these hotels by the suspended policemen. The official might also probe if the hotels were offering any money to the cops to run the trade safely without facing any police action. It is learnt that the busting of the flesh trade racket in three hotels is just a tip of the iceberg. The city has several hotels where one can get prostitutes or call girls by paying hotel charges and hotels even assure clients that they have collusion with some corrupt officials of the police stations or wings concerned as they pay money to them to run their affairs. 20-yr jail for sexually exploiting minor cousin Peddler arrested with opium Ludhiana, February 5 The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Ravi Inder Kaur has convicted Kunal, alias Sourav Bindra, a resident of Kukkar Gali, Anar Kali Bazaar, Jagraon, on the charges of sexually exploiting a 14-year-old cousin. He was sentenced to undergo RI for 20 years under the POCSO Act. He was also ordered to pay Rs 50,000 as fine. Of the fine amount, Rs 40,000 would be paid as compensation to the victim. The court held that the prosecution had successfully proved the charges against the Convict told to pay ~50,000 as fine accused. It declined the plea of leniency raised by him in view of the heinous crime committed in the close relation. Additional public prosecutor SS Haider said a case against the accused was registered at the Jagraon City police station on July 12, 2021, following a statement of the sister of the victim girl. The prosecution examined 11 witnesses to prove its case. The complainant had said her father was a mentally retarded person and her mother expired three years ago due to cancer. Her youngest sister was studying in Class VIII. She told the family that the accused, son of real brother of her father, was sexually exploiting her for about one year. Whenever she objected, the accused used to issue threats to kill her as well as her brother. Later, the matter was reported to the police. The police lodged the FIR and arrested the suspect. However, the accused pleaded innocence and c m y b claimed false implication. He has pleaded that the elder brother of prosecutrix and complainant was working with him at his shop. They were putting pressure upon him as well as on his family to join their elder brother as partner in the business but he refused. The complainant in connivance with the alleged victim has woven the story to put pressure upon him due to this reason. But after appreciating the evidence on record, the statement of victim coupled with medical evidence, court found him guilty and sentenced accordingly. — OC Ludhiana, February 5 The Samrala police yesterday arrested a person and recovered 1 kg of opium from him. The suspect has been identified as Vijender Kumar, a native of UP at present stay, ing in Ludhiana. A case under the NDPS Act was registered. DSP Waryam Singh said Samrala SHO SI Bhinder Singh and his team had laid a naka for routine checking during which the man was stopped for checking on suspicion and opium was seized from him. The DSP said he had been staying in Ludhiana for the past The suspect in police custody in Samrala on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO over five years. He was also a drug addict. One of his aides staying in Bihar was also into the illegal trade of opium smug- gling and he would also be nabbed. Now, the police remand of the suspect would be sought to further identify his links. — TNS