Adequate physical and social infrastructure is a pre-requisite for the growth of a city. While physical infrastructure comprises roads, sanitation, water supply, waste management, transport and power, the social infrastructure refers to schools, colleges, shopping malls and other entertainment avenues.
One of the major reasons for developers and industrialists to look beyond Gurgaon at the neighbouring towns such as Dharuhera, Bhiwadi and Neemrana is rapid growth of infrastructure in these towns over the past few years.
“Both towns of Bhiwadi and Neemrana have good connectivity with Delhi and Gurgaon in terms of National Highway-8 and National Highway-71B. Also, there is a proposal to six-lane the Neemarana-Bhiwadi Road within Rajasthan ensuring better connectivity between the two industrial towns. The metro train from Delhi-Gurgaon-Manesar-Bhiwadi-Bawal-Neemrana-Sotanala is also a possibility in the near future,” said Senior Regional Manager (Bhiwadi-I) Sanjay Jha, talking about the physical infrastructure in the two towns.
The Rajasthan Housing Board has been active in the industrial town. The area has all basic amenities like piped water, schools, transportation, hospitals, telecom networks, banks, etc.
Thanks to round-the-clock power supply and lesser tariff, many industrialists in Industrial Model Town, Manesar have shifted their industries to Neemrana over the past few years.
“Despite tall claims of Haryana Government regarding infrastructure to industry in the State, they have failed to provide even good quality, round-the-clock power supply to the industry. Most of the industry in IMT Manesar runs on diesel generator sets making it financially unviable and forcing them to look for better avenues. Some of our fellow industrialists have shifted to Neemrana and many more are mulling,” said Manmohan Gaind, general-secretary, Manesar Industries Welfare Association.
To further enhance power supply in Neemrana, a gas-based power project is being set up in the Japanese Zone, besides a 6 MW-solar power project.
With the Union Government recently granting initial site clearance for the Bhiwadi airport project, it will prove to be a major catalyst for the growth of infrastructure. The proposed airport will be around 80 km from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.
With Gurgaon itself lacking adequate infrastructure in respect of roads, power and water supply, the upcoming cities need to make infrastructure development a priority, keeping in mind the expected demand over the next 10-15 years, said Mr. Gaind.
With the ground water level fast depleting in Gurgaon, the city has to depend on water supply from two canals. However, groundwater is available in plenty in Neemrana and Bhiwadi and water from the Chambal river is also being brought to these two cities as part of a long-term plan.
However, Bhiwadi and Neemrana are lacking behind in social infrastructure as of now. “Gurgaon has shown the maximum progress in providing social infrastructure such as hospitals, malls and educational institutes to its residents. Currently, the two towns of Rajasthan are far behind Gurgaon on this front. Many people working in these towns prefer to stay in Gurgaon and commute because of lack of social infrastructure. We lack good hospitals, colleges and entertainment avenues,” said Mr. Jha.
