Gurgaon: Haryana govt has announced plans for a “world-class convention centre” in the city, with chief minister Nayab Singh Saini studying Singapore’s Suntec City to draw up the project’s international template. The announcement for the 25-acre convention centre does not identify a site, provide an estimated project cost or specify a construction timeline.Diring his three-day visit to Singapopre, Saini examined the convention facilities, construction techniques, modern engineering and operational systems at Suntec City. He said, on Sunday, that the proposed centre would be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and designed to host international conferences, business meetings, exhibitions and other global events.“The project would help strengthen the city’s international identity and promote investment and business activity in Haryana,” said an official. The announcement follows years of proposals for a large public convention and exhibition facility in the city. The city has, in fact, seen convention-centre plans.It is not clear whether the new project is a separate facility or an expansion/replacement of a similar proposal in Sector 29. The announcement marks another iteration of a convention-centre plan for the city. In Nov last year, Union minister Manohar Lal Khattar had called for a large convention centre in the city, while HSVP had identified a six-acre plot in Sector 29 for a state-of-the-art facility. The proposed centre was envisaged for conferences and corporate events and was to include parking and modern, eco-friendly infrastructure.In 2011, Haryana State Industrial & Infrastructure Development Corporation proposed an exhibition-cum-convention centre at Panchgaon Chowk, planned over roughly 250-253 acres, with exhibition halls, a convention centre, hotels and other facilities. The project was envisaged as a major trade and exhibition destination linked to Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. The latest proposal is considerably smaller in land area but is being positioned around a different proposition — a technology-driven venue for global business and international events.This comes when the city’s role as a corporate and business hub continues to generate demand for large venues. The city already hosts convention facilities, including the ICAT Convention Centre in Manesar, while a private convention centre was inaugurated in Udyog Vihar in Sept this year.Saini also announced plans for state-of-the-art infrastructure and a large landscaped park in Manesar, saying the development would provide better civic amenities and a greener environment. During the Singapore visit, he also studied environmental conservation and advanced water-management systems at Gardens by the Bay, with govt saying such practices would be examined for adoption in Haryana.
