The agreement, signed today by M. L. Sharma, Secretary, CHB, and S. D. Sharma, follows the prize-winning design entry of Sharma in a competition held in 1995 for the project.

Once complete, the first-of-its-kind Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre in the region will bring Chandigarh on the international map, making it eligible for world-class exhibitions and conventions. The project had been held back for about four years now, due to paucity of funds.

To make further headway in the about Rs 15-crore project to be funded by the CHB, UT Administrator Lt Gen B. K. N. Chhibber (retd) would lay its foundation stone on March 26. The Administration has allotted a few commercial sites in the west of Sector 38, the proceeds of which would go in funding the project.

According to CHB chairperson, Meenakshi Dutta Ghosh, the project has been finalised after hectic deliberations with experts and suggestions from various quarters, including discussions with the CII and PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Ghosh added that the exhibition complex, to be built in an area of over 6 acres in Sector 31, would provide nearly 18,000 metres of outdoor and indoor exhibition space. The indoor exhibition space would be in two connecting wings and would comprise a convention hall which can house as many as 3,000 delegates, an auditorium having a capacity of over 250 persons, a restaurant and cafeteria and a committee room, a business centre a bank and post office. The basement would house the parking which can accommodate over 600 cars.

Meanwhile, about 1.5 acres of space in the exhibition centre had to be given out to accommodate an existing temple in the area, which has come up from a small structure in 1995 to a big temple now. The plans of removing the temple encroachment have now been shelved by the Administration, say sources.