02012026-ATR-01.qxd 1/1/2026 10:34 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune POOR PLANNING BLAMED FOR FLOODING IN GURDASPUR SSM COLLEGE EMERGES AS NEW SPORTING POWERHOUSE Dinanagar college’s success in sports has built an impressive legacy over the last two decades. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 12°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 14°C | MIN 6°C KIS KISKO2... IN CINEMAS AGAIN Frequent relaying of road stretches is resulting in waterlogging in city with officials turning a blind eye to it. P2 FORECAST Kapil Sharma and his unbeatable humour is back again to entertain you this New Year. P4 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 5.34 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 7.19 AM » FRIDAY | 2 JANUARY 2026 | AMRITSAR Tender not allotted, only floated, Aujla instructs officials to expedite says Rintu on Trust controversy stalled work on Loharka flyover Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 1 Following the suspension of seven officials and employees of the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) in connection with a Rs 52.40 crore tender controversy, Trust Chairman Karamjit Singh Rintu has clarified that the tender has not been allotted to anyone so far and was only called. Rintu said the tender was floated by the Amritsar Improvement Trust, but the technical evaluation process is carried out at the Chandigarh level by a three-member committee of chief engineers from the Local Bodies Department. He stated that after technical vetting, all rules, conditions and guidelines are framed and approved at that level. "The Trust has neither added nor removed any condition. Whatever instructions come from Chandigarh are followed strictly," he said. The Chairman further Amritsar Improvement Trust. explained that while he holds administrative powers, all technical matters are handled by officials concerned. He maintained that the Punjab Government is working transparently and that anyone found guilty of wrongdoing will not be spared. Rintu also said the government must have taken the suspension decision after due consideration. He added that disputes between contractors during tender processes are not unusual. Rintu said the controversy began after complaints were raised by contractors against each other. "Primarily, the contractors had complaints against one another, following which the Chief Secretary marked an inquiry," he said. The inquiry was conducted under the Deputy Commissioner's jurisdiction, and a sub-committee was later formed by the DC. "Action has been taken based on the committee's report," Rintu added. The suspensions followed complaints by Seegal India Limited, which alleged flaws in the tender process. Acting on these complaints, the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner constituted a four-member probe committee. Based on its findings, the government ordered disciplinary action. Earlier, Vigilance SSP Lakhbir Singh was also suspended in a related matter. On December 30, the Punjab Government suspended seven officials of the Amrit- sar Improvement Trust. According to the official notification, those suspended include Satbhushan Sachdeva, Superintending Engineer; Raminderpal Singh and Bikram Singh, Trust Engineers, Sukhripanpal Singh, Subham Piposh and Manpreet Singh, Assistant Trust Engineers, and Mandeep Singh, Junior Engineer. During the suspension period, the headquarters of all suspended officials have been fixed at the main office of the Department of Local Government, Chandigarh. The case relates to tenders floated by the Trust for development works in Ranjit Avenue. Four parties had applied for the tender, out of which two were disqualified during scrutiny. The disqualified bidders later approached the Trust seeking a review, alleging that their disqualification was unjustified. An ongoing inquiry into the matter led to the suspension of the concerned officials. 4 gang operatives held with weapons Amritsar, January 1 After months of mounting public frustration over traffic congestion, dust and poorly managed diversions, fresh hope has emerged for commuters and residents along Loharka Road following an inspection of the flyover project by Member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla. MP Aujla visited the construction site along with senior officials and engineers to personally review the progress of the long-delayed Loharka flyover. During the inspection, he held detailed discussions with officials on the design and construction plan of the flyover. Standing amid live traffic, the MP closely observed vehicle movement and highlighted ground level issues to engineers, offering suggestions aimed at preventing future congestion and reducing accident risks. The MP also sought a detailed progress report and Member of Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla visited the site along with senior officials to review the progress of Loharka flyover project in Amritsar on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR issued clear instructions to expedite the pace of work. He stressed that strict monitoring of the project would now be ensured to avoid further delays. "If stepping onto the road myself helps provide relief to the public, I will not hesitate," he said during the visit. It is noteworthy that construction work on the Loharka flyover had remained stalled for a prolonged period, causing severe inconvenience to the public. Work resumed only after MP Aujla repeatedly raised the issue with the authorities concerned and pressed for action. Following his intervention, the project design was finalised and construction is currently underway, with heavy machinery deployed at the site. The Loharka Road flyover is a key component of the NHAI bypass project. Due to the prolonged delay, commuters faced massive traffic jams during peak hours, while poorly planned diversions led to accidentlike situations. Additionally, water pipeline work damaged roads and spread dust across the area, affecting local residents and shopkeepers. After a delay of nearly two years, construction resumed in mid 2025. Discussions are also underway to link the flyover with the Gumtala bypass, a move expected to ease the pressure of traffic in this part of the city. During the inspection, local residents met the MP and shared their concerns. Aujla assured them that relief would soon be provided and that no further negligence would be tolerated. Parliamentary Standing Committee visits city for feedback from local industry Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, January 1 The city police arrested four operatives of a nine-member gang planning to commit a crime near Jarmastpur bridge on Tarn Taran-Chabal road yesterday along with illegal weapons. Three members of the gang also live abroad and have been identified as Gurvinder Singh alias Afridi, a resident of Toot village, Prabh Dasuwal of Dasuwal village (Tarn Taran ) and Billa, a resident of Kathunangal. SSP Surendra Lamba said here today that the accused have formed a gang to commit crime and demand extortion money from people on the instructions of their members living abroad. The SSP said that in case anybody refuses to oblige them for extortion, they open fire at their houses. The police team that arrested the accused was led by ASI Narinder Singh. The police recovered two pistols with magazines and four live cartridges from the arrested accused. The police have also taken possession of the car in which they were planning to commit a crime. The arrested accuseds were produced in court today which sent them to three days of police remand. Tribune News Service Tribune News Service NEW YEAR PRAYERS: Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan paid obeisance at the Golden Temple on New Year in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Light rain brings cheer to farmers Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, January 1 The first light to moderate spell of winter rain fell in the district today bringing joy to the faces of farmers. Dilbagh Singh, a farmer from village Lalughuman in the area, expressed his extreme happiness saying that the light rain has made the environment clean, and is also beneficial for the crops. He said that with this rain, the crisis of fodder crops for animals will also be resolved. Dr Surinder Kumar, SMO People light a fire to protect themselves from cold. GURBAXPURI of Civil Hospital, Tarn Taran, said although there are chances of the cold spell intensifying with this rain, the environment has become clean. Rain fell at many places in the district at night and light rainfall was experienced during the day around Tarn Taran city. Shopkeepers were seen lighting fires for protection from the cold. Amritsar, January 1 The Parliamentary Standing Committee on industries visited Amritsar to get firsthand information about industrial development, current challenges and future prospects and to make policies more effective, based on the ground level situation. Chairperson of the committee, Tiruchi Siva, Member of Rajya Sabha, met the local industrialists, representatives of various industrial associations, senior officials of the district administration and banking sector to deliberate on the status of small, medium and large industries running in Amritsar. Siva discussed the main challenges faced by local industrialists regarding implementation of industrial policies, power, raw material, infrastructure, transport, export facilities, labour related issues and financial assistance. He said that banks should formulate a policy to simplify the loan process for industries, provide relief on interest rates and grant timely financial assistance. Finan- Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on industry and trade interacted with local entrepreneurs in Amritsar on Thursday. A TRIBUNE PHOTOGRAPH cial assistance to small-scale industries under the Central and state governments including Mudra loan, specific policies for the MSME sector and credit support mechanisms were also discussed. Principal Secretary KK Yadav said, "Steps like strong policy support, simple and time-bound regulatory procedures and active hand-holding through Invest Punjab are being taken by the Pun- jab Government to strengthen the small and medium enterprises so that projects get speedy approval and their smooth functioning can be ensured. Small-scale industries are the backbone of Punjab's industrial economy and play a significant role in employment generation, innovation and balanced regional development." Yadav said the Punjab government is in touch with the industrial stakeholders. The district administration, also informed the committee about industry-friendly policies, single window system, government approvals and infrastructure facilities. Siva said that these study visits play an important role in policy formulation. "The suggestions would be included in the report at the level of the Central Government," he assured. Faith and festivity mark celebrations to welcome New Year in city Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 1 The city witnessed the New Year with grand celebrations, especially at the Golden Temple, where devotees gathered in large numbers to offer prayers and seek blessings for peace, prosperity and good health. As the clock approached midnight, the sacred shrine wore a resplendent look, bathed in soft golden lights that reflected beautifully in the holy sarovar, creating a serene and spiritually uplifting atmosphere. From the early hours, devotees began arriving at the Golden Temple complex, braving the winter chill to welcome the New Year in prayer and contemplation. Special arrangements were made by the shrine management and district administration to accommodate the massive influx of pilgrims. Additional security personnel were deployed, queue systems were streamlined and langar services were strengthened to ensure a smooth and comfortable experience for all visitors. The soothing recitation of Gurbani added to the sense of calm and devotion that marked the beginning of the year. Outside the temple complex, the festive spirit spilled onto the streets. Heritage Street emerged as a major attraction, drawing locals and tourists alike. The streets buzzed with energy as people strolled along illuminated pathways, soaking in the celebratory mood. Cultural performances, live music and spontaneous dance routines brought vibrancy to the night, while cafes and eateries remained packed, offering special New Year menus and warm refreshments. Families, groups of friends and visitors from across the country were seen clicking photographs, exchanging greetings and ushering in the New Year with smiles and laughter. Street performers and artists added colour to the celebrations, while vendors selling balloons, glowing accessories and snacks did brisk business. Police and civic authorities maintained a visible presence across key locations, ensuring traffic management and public safety. Despite the large gatherings, the celebrations remained peaceful and well organised. As the New Year dawned, the city resonated with a sense of hope and renewal. Blending spiritual devotion with cultural festivity, the celebrations reflected the unique character of the city. c m y b Residents dance during the New Year celebrations in Amritsar on Wednesday night. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR