17062025-CT-01.qxd 6/17/2025 1:00 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune NO POWER, NO WATER: RESIDENTS BLOCK ROAD PRABHSARAN, SOHRAAB IN DOUBLES QUARTERFINALS GET PHYSICAL: OF SIMPLE JOGS AND COMPLEX CARBS Mohali residents are facing four to six hours of power cut daily. Outages hit water supply too. P2 Prabhsaran Lakra, Sohraab Dhillon moved into the boys' U-16 doubles quarterfinals with 6-4 6-0 win. P3 “It’s not just about looking a certain way, it’s about showing up as best version of myself,” says Malik. P4 » » PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 36°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 37.4°C | MIN 27.7°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.26 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5.21 AM » TUESDAY | 17 JUNE 2025 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Metro back on track, stakeholders to meet today Chandigarh, Punjab, Haryana to discuss scenario analysis report on rapid transit system project for tricity Nitin Jain REPRESENTATIONAL PHOTO Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 29 and 56, and Dhanas Panchkula: Sector 15 Mohali: Sectors 68 and 71 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com Demolition at church turns out to be rumour Tribune News Service Mohali, June 16 Tempers ran high in Majri here today as supporters of controversial Pastor Bajinder Singh gathered near the old church premises after news of a “demolition activity” being carried out there spread like a wildfire in the area. However, the police clarified that a “nishandehi” of the adjacent land parcel was being carried out on the High Court orders in a land dispute case. Hundreds of supporters had gathered near the church before the matter was resolved peacefully. The police said a duty magistrate was also present to carry out the “nishandehi” proceedings. Mullanpur SP Mohit Agarwal said, “A misunderstanding cropped up regarding the ‘nishandehi’ of the adjacent land due to which a crowd had gathered, but the matter was peacefully resolved. A dispute is going on between two parties regarding a piece of land. The High Court had ordered a ‘nishadehi’, which was carried out today.” Lok Adalats for traffic challans Chandigarh, June 16 Special Lok Adalats will be held for the disposal of traffic challan cases from July 1 to 11 (on all working days) in District Courts here. These traffic adalats will be conducted by the Judicial Magistrates in their respective courts. This facility will be available in addition to the National Lok Adalat scheduled for July 12. — TNS Chandigarh, June 16 Conceived 13 years ago, the Chandigarh metro project is back on track with the stakeholders meeting here on Tuesday to decide the fate of this rapid transit system approved for the tricity. A high-level committee of senior officials from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana, which was constituted by Punjab Governor-cum-Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria in November 2024, will discuss the scenario analysis report (SAR) submitted by the RITES Ltd, formerly known as Rail India Technical and Economic Service Limited, a public sector undertaking and engineering consultancy corporation, specialising in the field of transport infrastructure. The joint committee of all stakeholders from Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana was constituted to study the feasibility of the metro project thoroughly from all aspects, including CAG reports on other metro projects in the country. The panel, which is an extension of the Chandigarh Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA), a body established to oversee and improve the transportation PLAN CONCEIVED 13 YEARS AGO The metro project is back on track 13 years after it was conceived and eight years after it was initially scrapped in 2017 due to low financial viability. It was re-approved in March 2023 and got formal clearance from the Punjab and Haryana governments after a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was finalised in July 2024. Traffic on the UT roads has increased with rising population in the tricity. FILE PHOTO TIMELINE OF THE TRICITY METRO PROJECT AUGUST 16, 2012: DMRC submitted DPR to the then Punjab Governor-cum-Chandigarh Administrator Shivraj Vishwanath Patil. JULY 9, 2015: An MoU was signed between Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana and a special purpose vehicle (SPV) was created to execute the project as the Greater Chandigarh Transport Corporation (GCTC) for the development of comprehensive integrated multi-modal urban and suburban commuter system for the tricity region. The initial equity of the GCTC was fixed as Rs 100 crore, which was system in the tricity region with the aim of ensuring effective public transport, coordinating various transportation to be contributed equally – 25% each by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Chandigarh Administration, Punjab and Haryana governments. 2017:The project was scrapped due to low viability, on the ground that the rapid transit system in the tricity region would not be viable at least till 2051. NOVEMBER 2022:It was revived when RITES was asked to re-plan the project and make it a reality for the tricity region, having a combined population of about 3 million with growing traffic congestion. agencies and promoting key transportation projects, had held two meetings here in February and January. MARCH 2023: The latest proposal entails a 85.65km network through three corridors connecting Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, which was accorded in-principle approval by the Centre. JULY 2023: Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana along with RITES cleared the project with a decision to progress after the revised detailed plan was prepared by RITES. NOVEMBER 2024: Joint committee of Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana constituted to study the feasibility of the metro project. “M/s RITES Limited has submitted the scenario analysis report in reference to the committee’s two meetings held earlier. The report comprehensively covers various aspects of the project. These include transport demand assessment, traffic analysis zones and highway network, development and validation of the base year travel demand model, and projections of future travel demand,” a senior official told The Tribune here on Monday. The SAR, he said, also addresses the train operation plan, power supply system, geometric design parameters, mass rapid transport system (MRTS) corridor characteristics, capital cost estimates, means of finance and assessment of operational and economic viability. The report includes calculations of the financial internal rate of return (FIRR), economic internal rate of return (EIRR) and analysis of the economic costs and benefits of the proposed metro project. Additionally, the report provides detailed information on operational hours, data analysis models employed, assumptions for transport demand forecasting, ridership projections and fare structure in comparison with Chandigarh Administration’s bus fares. It also includes details on track utilisation, projected usage, passenger occupancy (load factor), comparative analysis of projected versus actual ridership of other metro projects, and the fare history of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) along with annual percentage increase. “Accordingly, to discuss these issues and the report submitted by M/s RITES Limited, a meeting has been scheduled with all stakeholders on June 17,” he disclosed, while adding that the committee shall take a final decision and submit the report to the Chandigarh Administration for consideration. COST OF THE PROJECT, RETURNS, FARE ON TABLE RITES had submitted the capital cost estimates of 85.65-km two-coach metro project for three corridors under different scenarios at the February 2025 price level, excluding land cost. Scenario G (Corridors 1, 2 & 3 elevated)) is estimated to cost Rs 23,263 crore, while Scenario G (Corridors 1, 2 & 3 underground)) is estimated at Rs 27,680 crore. In terms of financial analysis for different scenarios, the completion cost (with Central & State taxes) till 2031, for Scenario G is projected at Rs 25,631 crore, and for Scenario G is estimated at Rs 30,498 crore. The Financial Internal Rate of Return (FIRR) for a 30-year period, factoring in a fiveyear construction period and Continued on page 3 ITBP constable dies by Mercury dips further, more respite in offing suicide atRaipur Khurd Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 16 A constable of the IndoTibetan Border Police (ITBP), currently on deputation with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), reportedly died after consuming a toxic substance. The deceased, identified as Vipin Chauhan from Hamirpur district in Himachal Pradesh, was posted at the CBI office in Sector 30 here. Chauhan had been living alone in a rented flat at Raipur Khurd for the past few months. When his family was unable to reach him for two days, they alerted the Chandigarh Police. The cops broke the lock of his room on Sunday night and found his body lying on the bed. No suicide note was recovered from the scene. The body was sent to the GMCH-32 for a post- Third such death of uniformed personnel in 18 days in city mortem, and later handed over to his family. The police are awaiting the post-mortem report to ascertain the exact cause of death. This was the third suicide by uniformed personnel in Chandigarh within 18 days. On 30 May, Constable Kailash from the UT Police died after allegedly shooting himself with his service revolver at his Dhanas flat. On June 5, Paramjeet Singh, a UT Police band staff member, who was undergoing treatment for mental health issues, was found hanging in his Sector 26 residence. The police investigations into all three cases are underway. Chandigarh, June 16 Chandigarh got further respite from the intense heatwave conditions prevailing for the past one week with both the day and night temperatures dipping on Monday. While the maximum temperature went down by only 0.3 degree in the past 24 hours for the consecutive second day to settle at 37.4° Celsius, the minimum (27.7° Celsius) dipped considerably by four notches on Sunday night after touching 32.7° Celsius, the season’s warmest night, on Saturday. The overcast sky and traces of rain coupled with moderate winds during the day gave some respite from the scorching heat. The weathermen have predicted partly cloudy sky with light rain in the tricity over the next five days. However, a yellow alert was issued for Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana till June 22 with forecast of heavy People enjoy the pleasant weather at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VICKY rain at isolated places on Sunday. But, the maximum temperature will continue to gradually fall by 3-5 degrees over the next three days. Ludhiana in Punjab and Sirsa in Haryana recorded the highest minimum temperature of 32 and 30.6° Celsius, respectively, to be the warmest towns in the region. TRICITY MERCURY CITY MAX MIN Chandigarh 37.4 27.7 Mohali 36 28 Panchkula 35.9 26.3 The residents heaved a sigh of relief for the second consecutive day on Monday after brav- ing the severe heatwave conditions from June 8 to 14 with the mercury remaining below the 40°Celsius-mark. June 10 had recorded the maximum temperature of 44° Celsius, which had remained the season’s hottest day here so far. According to the Meteorological Centre Chandigarh, the department’s observato- ry at Sector 39 here recorded the highest maximum temperature of 37.4° Celsius while another observatory at the Indian Air Force (IAF) airport logged 37.2° Celsius on Monday. While Sirsa once again returned to become the hottest place in the region on Monday with the maximum of 38.4° Celsius, which was the highest in the region, Amritsar and Gurdaspur logged the maximum of 37.5° Celsius to stay the hottest towns in Punjab today. The MeT Department has predicted a gradual fall in the maximum temperature till Saturday. It said the temperatures in Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula will remain maximum between 33 and 36° Celsius and minimum between 26 and 27° Celsius with possibility of light rain till June 21. Monday’s maximum day temperature in the city was 0.3 degree below yesterday’s mercury reading. Residents, commuters fume as garbage piles up on Airport Road MC to hire firm to make city trash-free Gaurav Kanthwal Tribune News Service Garbage dumped on the Airport Road in Mohali. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VICKY Mohali, June 16 Heaps of garbage on Airport Road near Udham Singh Colony have been troubling commuters and local residents alike. The residents claim that the garbage, which has not been lifted for days, has been giving off a foul smell, with the peak summers making matters worse. “Garbage has been piling on for two days, making it impossible to pass through the area. This reflects the state of GMADA, and the Mohali Municipal Corporation. What impression would visitors get of Mohali upon seeing this trash?” said BS Dhillon, a TDI City resident. While Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh is organising c m y b campaigns against dengue and malaria, the garbage not being lifted paints a picture of neglect in this regard. Residents rue that top officials are not doing enough to resolve the issue. On June 10, GMADA Chief Administrator Vishesh Sarangal had deputed junior engineer-level officials in various sectors after complaints regarding inadequate upkeep of infrastructure, cleanliness and overall sanitation in GMADA-developed sectors. Sarangal had acknowledged GMADA’s responsibility to maintain cleanliness in the areas developed by it. However, residents claim the issue of sanitation is turning from bad to worse, with no solution in sight. Kulbir Singh Brar, another TDI City resident, said, “GMADA has just become a money collecting agency. Its job seems to be restricted to selling government land and pocketing the money. It cannot keep the city clean, and cannot provide a garbage disposal site to the MC.” Several councillors, across party lines, have echoed similar sentiments. Ward 2 councillor Sukhdev Patwari said, “Cow dung can be spotted in Mataur village, but no one is cleaning it up.” Deputy Mayor Kuljit Singh Bedi said he had met GMADA officials and demanded that land be allotted for garbage dumping within the next 15 working days. Failing this, he would be forced to stage a protest outside the GMADA Chief Administrator’s office, he said. Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 16 Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) has decided to hire an agency to prepare and execute a comprehensive plan for the management of solid waste in the city. It has issued a request for proposal (RFP) in this regard. The MC said the RFP was issued with the aim of achieving the Swachh Bharat Mission mandate. A senior official said the successful execution of such a comprehensive solid waste management (SWM) strategy requires the services of an advisory agency with expertise in this field. Company to prepare, execute plan for mgmt of solid waste The role of the agency will be to provide strategic guidance, technical expertise and project management support, among others, to ensure that the SWM initiatives are not only effective but also sustainable. It will review the existing documents, including city development plans, previous project reports and available secondary data to identify shortcomings and prepare a robust plan. It will also Continued on page 2