Ludhiana Improvement Trust is set to resume construction of Atal Apartments on Pakhowal Road after multiple stalled attempts. The project, initiated over a decade ago, faced delays, dropouts, and multiple inaugurations. The latest effort, backed by the current government, plans to start construction after the formal inauguration at the end of the month, possibly attended by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann or Local Bodies Minister Balkar Singh. The project, marked by a tumultuous history of allotments, withdrawals, and changing political climates, aims to provide 576 flats with modern amenities on 8.8 acres of land.
The Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) is set to commence construction on the long-delayed Atal Apartments scheme, situated on 8.8 acres of Pakhowal Road. Following the formal inauguration, scheduled for the end of the month, the project has been assigned to a contractor who has mobilized machinery to the site. This marks the third attempt to kickstart the much-stalled project. Initially launched in 2011, the scheme faced setbacks, including allotments, withdrawals, and cost-related challenges. The current initiative, backed by the present government, aims to provide 576 modern flats with amenities on the Pakhowal Road site. The 12-storey residential towers, designed to be earthquake-resistant, will offer amenities such as a swimming pool. The Atal Apartment scheme conducted a draw for flat allotments in December 2016, assigning flats to 110 individuals. However, due to high costs, allottees failed to complete payments, leading to the scheme's abandonment in August 2017. In 2018, a fresh demand survey garnered 825 applications, with a nominal deposit of Rs 10,000 per applicant. Despite this, the LIT again dropped the project, refunding the deposited fees. The scheme faced another setback in February 2020 when the local bodies department advised against proceeding with housing projects. The project was reignited in 2021. After a change in government, a draw of lots for 576 flats was conducted on June 16, 2022, including 336 High-Income Group (HIG) and 240 Middle-Income Group (MIG) flats. The draw for the remaining MIG flats is pending. Former local bodies minister Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar distributed allotment letters to successful applicants on April 10, 2023. Responding to inquiries about the project's third inauguration, LIT chairman Tarsem Bhinder asserted that allotment letters were issued by the government, making the project a reality. The decision regarding the chief guest and final inauguration date will be decided after a meeting in Chandigarh. An anonymous allottee expressed frustration, emphasizing the need to prioritize construction commencement over inaugural ceremonies. As the project restarts, its tumultuous history underscores the challenges in providing affordable housing and navigating administrative transitions in such projects.
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