Chandigarh Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad Tuesday chaired a meeting of the Engineering Department to review the progress of important ongoing construction and maintenance projects related to roads, government and institutional buildings. He emphasised the need for innovation, efficiency and accountability in ensuring that the city’s infrastructure keeps pace with its growing administrative and civic needs. A comprehensive presentation was made regarding the sanctioned strength of technical staff, vacancy position and efforts being made for filling up the vacant posts. The Chief Secretary directed expeditious filling up of vacant posts, particularly in the technical cadre, to impart efficiency to the execution of works. He stressed that the Engineering Department plays a pivotal role in the planning, development and maintenance of the city’s infrastructure and time-bound execution of projects must be ensured. Prasad directed the department to closely monitor and identify bottlenecks in the execution of projects and take appropriate actions in consultation with other departments where inter-departmental issues are involved. The Chief Secretary directed that new proposals/schemes which require approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs in view of the revised delegation of financial powers be expeditiously submitted to the ministry for concurrence. He directed the department to ensure adherence to timelines in the execution of projects and to utilise the allocated budget for the financial year 2025–26. During the meeting, Prasad was briefed on the department’s major initiatives and best practices. The privatisation of power distribution in Chandigarh was noted as a landmark reform aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, improving service delivery and minimising transmission losses. And the restoration and preservation of the Capitol Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was also discussed, and details of works being undertaken were presented. The department’s move towards adopting GIS and Artificial Intelligence technologies for road maintenance was noted as a significant step in using data-driven tools for urban infrastructure management. Prasad then reviewed the major projects that have contributed to the city’s infrastructural growth. Notable among them is the new Hostel Block in Sector 50, Kajheri School and the IT Block in Sector 46, which have enhanced the educational and community infrastructure. Additionally, the construction of 144 government houses at Dhanas and the Emergency Block at GMCH-32 were highlighted as key developments aimed at strengthening the housing and healthcare infrastructure of the union Territory. He directed focused attention be given to accelerate the execution of various projects by resolving coordination issues among various departments and the uptake of emerging engineering technologies. He directed the department to strengthen monitoring systems to ensure that all projects meet the highest standards of quality and safety.
