Mired in the complexities of an ongoing litigation,the state Governments flagship project on higher educationthe Indian School of Business (ISB) in Punjab,the second in India after Hyderabadis struggling to take off. Nearly 18 acres of scattered prime land within the site approved for the ISB are under litigation in the Supreme Court. The management of the ISB has expressed its displeasure to the Government,urging it to sort out the problem at the earliest. Top ISB officials said the management was unaware of the extent of area under litigation. We were given to understand that some scattered pieces of land were disputed,which will not have a bearing on the execution of the project. It is not the same now, a top ISB official told The Indian Express. Until the complete area is freed from the litigation,the ISB management is not willing to start construction,which is scheduled to commence in December. Though the planning and design are nearly ready,officials involved with the project are not hopeful of starting it on time. Max India Limited chairman Analjit Singh,who is one of the directors in the ISB project,recently met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to discuss the issue. According to official sources,the CM has issued directions to expedite the process to free the site from the litigation. The case came up for hearing in the Supreme Court on Monday. Chief Administrator,Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA),Vivek Pratap Singh said the next hearing would be in December. We had moved an application for early hearing in the Supreme Court. There are two pending petitions,which have been clubbed. The petitions have challenged the entire process of land acquisition. Compensation cases have been settled, said Singh. According to him,the planning of Sector 81,where the ISB will come up,as an education hub is complete. The Government is providing nearly 320 acres in Mohali for the Knowledge City,where several corporate institutions will be set up besides the ISB. Sources said Reliance could anchor a Rs 250-crore Dhirubhai Ambani Informatics Institute,while Max India Limited has a plan to set up a world class Institute of Hospital Management. Sunil Mittals Bharti proposes to establish an Institute of Public Policy.
