Jalandhar issues at play in MC polls: Eight years on, none of Smart City projects saw light of day
Waterlogging during monsoon, lack of robust transport system, encroachments, faulty traffic lights, lack of parking areas common sight
For Jalandhar, the smart city tag appears to be a distant dream as none of the eight major projects, initiated as many years ago under the Smart Cities Mission of the central government, has been completed amid fund misappropriation allegations. Challenges galore before the Jalandhar municipal corporation, comprising 85 municipal wards, as the basic civic amenities have been kept crumbling in these years due to “myopic” developmental agendas.
The Jalandhar MC poll, as usual, would be a prestige issue for all the political parties as it involves the electorates of four assembly constituencies — Jalandhar West, North, Central and parts of Jalandhar cantonment — with both AAP and Congress having control in two constituencies each.
Political parties, including Congress, AAP and BJP, have repeatedly claimed that the Jalandhar MC has received ₹1,000 crore since 2017 from the Union ministry of housing and urban development under the Smart Cities Mission. Parties have blamed each other for “misappropriation” of a huge chunk of funds but nothing concrete has been done to fix responsibility so far. The Smart Cities Mission aims at providing efficient services, robust infrastructure, sustainable environment, cleanliness and beautification of landscape.
The projects to turn Jalandhar city into a smart one include rejuvenation and beautification of Kala Sanghian drain, bioremediation, surface water project, installation of signboards, Burlton Park sports hub project, solid waste management project, smart policing project and beautification of city’s entry points. None of these projects has been completed. Work hasn’t even started on surface water, Burlton sports hub, solid waste management and smart policing projects.
As far as the city’s basic civic amenities are concerned, residents say nothing concrete has been done to deal with waterlogging during monsoon and ensure a robust public transport system. Rampant encroachments on roads, faulty traffic lights and lack of public parking areas are a common sight.
The BJP had written to Union minister of housing and urban development Hardeep Puri, demanding a thorough inquiry into ₹1,000 crore from 2017 to 2022 when the Congress was calling the shots in the Jalandhar MC through its mayor Jagdish Raja, who recently switched loyalty to the AAP.
BJP’s former MLA KD Bhandari blamed the Congress and the AAP for the “deteriorating” basic amenities in Jalandhar, which was once dubbed as a role model city as far as development was concerned. “The Congress leadership must explain to the people of Jalandhar what their leaders, who were in power in Jalandhar MC from 2017 to 2022, did to the funds allocated under the Smart Cities Mission,” Bhandari said.
On the other hand, Rajinder Beri, former MLA and district Congress president, said those who held prominent positions at that time in the Jalandhar MC are now with AAP. “The Congress had nothing to do with it. We are seeking votes on the failure of AAP to ensure Jalandhar’s development. The BJP is equally responsible for poor civic amenities as nothing has been done to check misappropriation of funds,” he said.
Meanwhile, the AAP has already announced five guarantees, including 100 electric buses, round-the-clock water supply, clearance of garbage dumps, revival of sports hub and installation of CCTV cameras across the city.
AAP’s cabinet minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, who is in charge of the Jalandhar MC elections, said there is a great enthusiasm among AAP workers and the people regarding the municipal elections. “The AAP will contest elections based on the work done by its government. Party leaders and workers will go door to door to inform people about the achievements of the AAP government over the past two and a half years and encourage them to vote in the party’s favour,” he added.
