20052026-CT-01.qxd 20-05-2026 00:26 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune GUV DISTRIBUTES UNIFORMS, STATIONERY AMONG STUDENTS UT CRICKET ASSN SELECTOR QUITS WITHIN MONTH Was one of three selectors appointed by the UT Cricket Association for the junior cricket team. P3 MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 43°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 43.2°C | MIN 25.3°C JACQUELINE STUNS IN BLACK SEQUIN DRESS AT CANNES Event “Shaksharta” was organised by the Bharat Vikas Parishad Charitable Trust, Chandigarh. P3 FORECAST The actor makes another high-profile appearance at the 2026 edition of the prestigious global event. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7:12 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:26 AM » WEDNESDAY | 20 MAY 2026 | CHANDIGARH /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Centre clears defence land hurdle for Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass THE TRIBUNE EXCLUSIVE APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 15, 40, 46 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com No-vehicle day for Admn staff Chandigarh, May 19 In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to save fuel, the UT Administration has decided to observe a vehicle-free day every Wednesday. The administration has made special arrangements to operate buses for the UT Secretariat staff tomorrow. According to officials, the buses will operate on 17 routes to ferry the employees to and fro. The buses will also carry employees of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Punjab Civil Secretariat. UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria had recently asked UT officials to avoid using four-wheelers every Wednesday. — TNS Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 19 The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has granted the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) permission to use 2.7461 acres of defence land at the Chandimandir military station for the construction of the Rs 1,983-crore ZirakpurPanchkula bypass and its connecting spur — clearing the last significant administrative barrier before spades hit the ground. A copy of the MoD order is with The Tribune. The working permission, issued with the concurrence of the MoD (Finance), values the defence land at approximately Rs 9.89 crore. However, instead of a cash payment, the compensation has been structured on an equivalent value in infrastructure (EVI) basis — NHAI will construct 32 houses for Junior Commissioned Officers (JCO) and Other Ranks (OR) at the military station at a total estimated cost of Rs 12 crore, with the remaining Rs 2.21-crore cost to be met from the Defence Budget of the Army. The order has been signed by Vikram Verma, Deputy Director (Lands), Ministry of Defence. KEY FACTS ■ The MoD has granted the NHAI permission to start work on 2.7461 acres of defence land at Chandimandir military station ■ Land valued at ~9.89 crore, NHAI to build 32 JCO/OR houses for Army in lieu of payment for land ■ Board of Officers to demarcate land within four weeks, land to be handed over to the NHAI within one month ■ Permanent land transfer subject to Cabinet approval ■ ~1,380-crore bypass work awarded to RKCPL and ~603crore spur to Ceigall, likely to be completed by 2028. MAP NOT TO SCALE WHAT’S ON Gives work permission on 2 acres worth ~9.89 cr at Chandimandir; NHAI to build 32 Army quarters in lieu of payment for land WHAT THE ORDER SAYS Under the terms of the working permission, a Board of Officers must be convened within four weeks of the issuance of the order to carry out physical demarcation and measurement of the defence land, determine exact survey numbers and assess the security, safety measures and cost of relocation of any existing government or private assets on the plot. The board will have the representatives of the (SOURCE: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE) NHAI as the indenting authority, the Defence Estates Officer (DEO) and the Local Military Authority (LMA). The working permission is contingent on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to be executed between the NHAI, the DEO and the LMA. A formal sanction for the permanent transfer of the 2.7461 acres of defence land will be issued only after obtaining Cabinet approval. The MoD clearance directly c m y b enables ground-level work to begin on the 19.2-km Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass — the Rs 1,380-crore project awarded to RKCPL Limited on March 27. The Bypass, which runs from its junction with NH-7 (Zirakpur-Patiala) to NH-5 (Zirakpur-Parwanoo) across Punjab and Haryana, passes through the Chandimandir belt — making the defence land clearance a nonnegotiable prerequisite for the project. Tiger cubs play in a pool to beat the heat at Chhatbir Zoo. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR Mercury hits 43.2°C in city Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 19 The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday upgraded its heatwave warning from yellow to orange as Chandigarh ’ s maximum temperature climbed to 43.2°C. Nights, too, are now warming up, with the minimum temperature touching 25.3°C — barely at the seasonal normal. The orange alert signals that severe heatwave conditions are likely to persist for at least two days. The IMD’s warning projects heatwave to severe heatwave conditions continuing over Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana from May 19 through May 25 with no large change in maximum temperatures during the next seven days. MAY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE Year 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 Highest Max (°C) 41.7 46.0 (all-time high) 43.1 43.6 42.1 43.1 43.5 Date May 16 May 30 May 23 May 15 May 28 May 27 May 31 DAY TEMPERATURE LIKELY TO HIT 45°C IN TRICITY Wednesday brings a maximum of 43°C and minimum of 27°C under mainly clear sky. Thursday pushes to 44°C maximum and 28°C minimum. Friday holds at 44°C maximum and 27°C minimum. Saturday stays at 44°C maximum and 28°C minimum. Sunday hits 45°C maxi- Year Highest Max (°C) 2018 43.6 2017 42.5 2016 43.1 2015 43.4 2014 41.5 2013 43.8 2012 43.2 Date May 27 May 27 May 19 May 24 May 2 & 30 May 24 May 31 mum with a minimum of 27°C. No rain is expected in the Tricity till Sunday. PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY ■ ■ Drink water frequently even if not thirsty Carry drinking water when travelling; prefer natural drinks such as lemon water, lassi, chaach, jaljeera, aam panna or coconut water Continued on page 3