Newly elected Panchkula mayor Shyam Lal Bansal formally assumed office on Saturday in the presence of former Haryana assembly Speaker Gyan Chand Gupta, BJP state vice-president Banto Kataria, Om Prakash Devinagar and several other dignitaries.Newly elected mayor Shyam Lal Bansal at MC office in Panchkula on Saturday. (Sant Arora/HT)Speaking to the media, Bansal said there would be no shortage of funds for development projects in Panchkula and that efforts would be made to transform the city into a more beautiful and modern urban centre. He said one of his key priorities would be the revival of the city’s old cycle track project.Bansal noted that Panchkula was the first city in Haryana to introduce the concept of dedicated cycle tracks, which had received an encouraging response from residents. He said reviving the project would help save fuel, promote environmental conservation and encourage a healthier lifestyle among citizens.Following the charge-taking ceremony, the mayor held a meeting with municipal corporation (MC) commissioner Vinay Kumar, joint commissioners Gaurav Chauhan and Simarjeet Kaur, along with ward councillors. During the meeting, councillors highlighted issues and development needs in their respective wards.Bansal said development works across the city would be accelerated with the cooperation of councillors and municipal officials. He added that necessary directions had been issued to improve sanitation services, strengthen door-to-door waste collection and enhance other civic amenities for residents.