*Cabinet Minister Sanjeev Arora Inaugurates Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels in Mohali; Emphasises Mohali’s Rapid Growth and Rising Demand for Quality Hotel Rooms*

Chandigarh, 22 February 2026:Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels Limited, Mohali–Chandigarh, was formally inaugurated by Hon’ble Cabinet Minister, Punjab, Shri Sanjeev Arora, marking a landmark addition to the region’s premium hospitality landscape and a warm new gateway for visitors, investors, and business travellers to Punjab.

The ceremony commenced with the ribbon-cutting by the Hon’ble Minister, followed by the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony symbolising prosperity and new beginnings. The event was graced by distinguished industry leaders including Mr. Anil Chadha, Managing Director, ITC Hotels Limited; Mr. Bhupinder Singh Gujral, Managing Director, Gujral Group; and Mr. Gaganjeet Singh Gujral, along with senior officials and eminent guests.

Addressing the gathering, Hon’ble Minister Sanjeev Arora warmly welcomed the addition of Welcomhotel to Mohali’s skyline and highlighted the city’s emergence as one of North India’s fastest-growing economic and institutional hubs. He noted that with the rapid expansion of IT City, Aerocity, healthcare institutions, universities, and convention infrastructure, Mohali is witnessing a steady rise in domestic and international footfall.

The Minister emphasised that this growth trajectory has created a clear and increasing requirement for many more high-quality hotel rooms to cater to business delegations, global investors, tourists, and large-scale events being hosted in the region.

“Mohali is on the cusp of transformative growth. With expanding IT, education, healthcare, and industrial ecosystems, the demand for world-class hospitality infrastructure is rising rapidly. Punjab welcomes this investment by ITC Hotels, and we look forward to many more such projects that will strengthen our tourism and service economy,” said Minister Sanjeev Arora.

He further underscored that the Government of Punjab is committed to creating a highly enabling environment for hospitality investments through transparent approvals, policy support, and ease of doing business. The Minister also informed that the State is actively exploring adaptive reuse of suitable heritage and institutional properties for responsible hospitality development, ensuring both tourism promotion and preservation of cultural assets.

Reaffirming the Government’s vision, the Minister Sanjeev Arora stated that hospitality-led growth is a critical component of Punjab’s economic roadmap, as it generates substantial employment across skill levels, supports MSMEs, and enhances the overall investment attractiveness of emerging growth centres like Mohali.

In his remarks, Mr. Bhupinder Singh Gujral expressed gratitude to the Government of Punjab for its facilitative and responsive approach, noting that Mohali’s evolving business and tourism ecosystem makes it an ideal destination for premium hospitality projects. He described the hotel as a proud contribution to Punjab’s development story.

Mr. Anil Chadha, Managing Director, ITC Hotels Limited, highlighted the brand’s commitment to expanding in high-growth cities and reiterated that Mohali’s strategic location, robust infrastructure, and strong economic momentum make it a natural choice for world-class hospitality offerings.

The ceremony concluded with the presentation of a symbolic key and memento, formally marking the commencement of operations and celebrating a shared vision of welcoming growth, increased visitor capacity, and a vibrant hospitality future for Mohali and Punjab.

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*Rebuild of Basti Hazur School Ordered, New Building Within Six Months: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• Education Is My Passion & Responsibility, Accountability Will Drive School Reforms: Harjot Singh Bains*

*• Decades of Neglect Being Reversed, Punjab Marching Towards Upgrading All 20,000 Schools: Harjot Singh Bains*

*•Immediate Action Initiated After Concerns were raised, Education Department Directed to Act: Harjot Singh Bains*

CHANDIGARH, February 22:Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has ordered the complete rebuilding of Government Primary School in Basti Hazur, Fazilka, after concerns were raised about the condition of the school building. Taking swift action, the Education Minister directed the School Education Department to initiate immediate remedial measures and assured that the new school building would be completed within six months, with him personally overseeing the transformation.

Addressing the issue, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “The poor condition of the school in Basti Hazur was brought to my notice yesterday. I have already directed officers to take immediate action, and I will personally visit the school. This school will have a new building within the next 6 months. This is not a political statement; it is a personal guarantee.”

Emphasising the broader context of school infrastructure in the state, the Education Minister stated, “Punjab has nearly 20,000 government schools. Most of them came to us in extremely poor condition, a legacy of decades of neglect.”

He noted that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government has transformed hundreds of such schools over the last few years and that the work is progressing at full pace. “Transforming all 20,000 schools is a journey and the state government is steadily marching towards that goal with commitment and transparency,” he added.

Reiterating his commitment to education reform, Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “This is not about tall claims. It is about accountability and sustained action. Education is not politics for me; it is my passion and responsibility.”

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*TWO LINKED TO CROSS-BORDER ILLEGAL ARMS SMUGGLING MODULE HELD WITH 5 SOPHISTICATED PISTOLS IN AMRITSAR*

*— ARRESTED ACCUSED WERE IN CONTACT WITH PAK-BASED SMUGGLERS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: DGP GAURAV YADAV*

*— ACCUSED WERE USING VACANT GROUNDS AT NIGHT FOR DRONE DROPS TO EVADE DETECTION: CP ASR GURPREET BHULLAR*

CHANDIGARH/AMRITSAR, February 22:In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state as per directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Commissionerate Police Amritsar has dismantled a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module with the arrest of two operatives and recovered five sophisticated pistols from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Sunday.

Those arrested have been identified as Shera Singh (26), a resident of the village Bhindi Nain in Amritsar and Jagroop Singh alias Joopa (21), a resident of the village Toor in Amritsar. The recovered pistols include one .30 bore PX5 Storm, one 9MM Austria-made Glock, two .30 bore China-made Norinco and one .32 bore pistol along with 10 live cartridges.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were in contact with Pakistan-based smugglers through social media platforms and were facilitating illegal arms consignments for further supply to criminal elements on their directions.

The DGP said that further investigation is underway to trace forward and backward linkages of the illegal arms network.

Sharing operational details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that acting on credible secret information, police teams conducted a well-coordinated operation near Sada Pind, Bypass Road, and arrested Shera Singh and Jagroop Singh alias Joopa after recovering one Glock pistol and one .30 bore PX5 Storm pistol from their possession. During further investigation, both arrested accused led the police to the recovery of three more pistols, he said.

The CP said that both arrested accused were residing close to the International border and were exploiting their proximity to facilitate the illegal trade. They allegedly used vacant grounds at night for drone drops to evade detection, he said.

He said that accused Shera Singh has a criminal history involving heinous offences including involvement in the rape and murder of a girl, wherein the victim was set ablaze after the crime. In another case, nearly 500 grams of heroin was recovered from his possession, he added.

In this regard, FIR no. 28 dated 14-02-2026 under sections 25 of the Arms Act at Police Station Cantonment, Amritsar.