Raipur। Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday said that the Chhattisgarh government is firmly committed to ensuring balanced, inclusive and well-planned development of cities, keeping pace with rapid urbanization in the state.
The Chief Minister chaired a high-level review meeting at Mahanadi Bhawan, Mantralaya, to assess the overall development of Bilaspur Municipal Corporation and surrounding areas. The meeting focused on ongoing and proposed development works, expansion of basic amenities, and progress of major infrastructure projects in Bilaspur city and its peripheral regions.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that Bilaspur, known as the “Nyayadhani”, is the second-largest city of the state and requires a comprehensive development strategy to meet future urban needs. He emphasized strengthening urban infrastructure in line with Chhattisgarh’s fast-paced growth.
The Chief Minister directed officials to complete all ongoing projects within stipulated timelines while maintaining high quality standards. He laid special emphasis on ensuring clean and regular drinking water supply and instructed departments to work seriously on water-related projects. He also stressed that Bilaspur should be given priority in terms of industrial and tourism development.
Vishnu Deo Sai informed that the government has approved several new development projects over the past two years and said the upcoming budget would play a crucial role in realizing the vision of “Developed Chhattisgarh.” He highlighted the importance of inter-departmental coordination to achieve better outcomes and ensured that no shortcomings would be allowed in the development of both urban and rural areas.
During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on sectors including roads and bridges, drinking water, drainage, pollution-free city initiatives, traffic management, education, health, sports and youth welfare, housing, e-bus services, air connectivity, transport nagar, industry and trade, tourism, and the Arpa Special Area Development Project (Arpa SADA).
Key decisions included expediting the issuance of administrative sanction for the new SIMS hospital building and operating the super-specialty hospital under PPP mode. Information was shared regarding the transfer of funds to the Defence Ministry for the expansion of Bilaspur Airport, for which public representatives expressed gratitude. Instructions were also issued to fast-track other airport development works and introduce night landing facilities at the earliest.
It was decided that the development of Silpahari Transport Nagar would be undertaken by CSIDC, and land applications would be submitted accordingly. The land acquisition process for the Uslapur Railway Overbridge will be expedited and included in the upcoming budget.
Major infrastructure proposals discussed included:
- Construction of a flyover from Rajiv Gandhi Chowk, Nehru Chowk, and Mahamaya Chowk (Y-shaped) to Ratanpur Road at a cost of ₹305 crore
- A flyover at Old Bus Stand Chowk connecting CMD Chowk–Imli Para Road–Tagore Chowk–Jagmal Chowk at a cost of ₹115 crore
- Preparation of DPR for a ₹320 crore Tarbahar four-lane Railway Overbridge connecting FCI Godown Vyapar Vihar area to Sirgitti–Mahamand Bypass
To ease traffic congestion, consensus was reached to send a proposal through the Public Works Department for construction of a ₹950 crore four-lane Bilaspur Ring Road, with NHAI’s consent.
Financial approvals were also agreed upon for key projects, including ₹328 crore for the Paraghat diversion scheme of Kharang Reservoir, ₹252 crore for STP and drainage works of the Arpa River within the Municipal Corporation area, and ₹150 crore from the Disaster Management Fund to address the city’s waterlogging issues.
Other important decisions included holding discussions with Tata Memorial Hospital for establishing a cancer hospital in Bilaspur, construction of an underpass near Kanan Pendari, development of the Koni–Birkona–Khamtarai–Bahatrai road, preparation of a DPR for 24×7 water supply, and accelerating development of the Arpa SADA area through joint meetings of TNCPL and district officials.
The meeting was attended by Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary, MLAs Amar Agrawal, Sushant Shukla, and Dharamlal Kaushik, Mayor Pooja Vidhani, Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh, along with secretaries and senior officials from various departments.