‘Tile minister’ gone, MC wards in North flounder

Charanjit Singh Teja 

Tribune News Service

Amritsar December 9 

The routine traffic jams due to the encroachments, poor water disposal system, sanitation, deplorable roads are the bane of North constituency, which includes 18 wards.

The area is densely populated. Interestingly, major markets in the city are located in these wards and also because of the huge crowd, the residents face traffic chaos as a matter of routine. 

These politically-backed encroachers installed illegal kiosks on several major roads lead to the traffic congestions. The MC has failed to remove such encroachments and never made any serious efforts during past several years. 

The Majitha Road and the Fatehgarh Churian Road are the two major stretches in the north constituency wards. The MLA Sunil Dutti had already made it clear that he would not remove encroachments as these encroachments are source of income for many people here. 

The area was represented by the former Minister for Local Bodies, Anil Joshi, and he laid tiles in most of the streets, footpaths, parks, and Kutcha roads. 

The opposition used to call him 'tile minister' for his mode of development in the area. There were the allegations that he spent entire funds in this constituency to maintain his dominance in the area. 

After the formation of new government, a number of roads and footpaths were dug by the various departments to install wires and maintains of underground infrastructure. 

Several roads in the areas caved in during the rain this year. The authorities of the Municipal Corporation (MC), Amritsar Improvement Trust and the Sewerage Board (SB) often play the blame game for any mismanagement. The condition of roads is pathetic in the area.       

The sewer lines and disposable of sewer water is one of the major issues during the municipality elections in the area. The sewer lines in some of the areas at the Batala Road and Maiitha Road are decades old. 

Waste disposal system inside has become a serious cause of concern for residents. Clogging sewerage, flooding of streets by the sewage water and piles of garbage can be seen stuck inside the potholes at several residential colonies.