City divided into 80 wards, map released

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 17

The Municipal Corporation (MC) Jalandhar today released a map of the new ward-wise division of the city, increasing the number of wards from 60 to 80.

The Jalandhar West constituency will now have 24 wards, 22 in Jalandhar Central, 23 in Jalandhar North and 11 in Jalandhar Cantonment.

The new ward division has left most SAD-BJP councillors completely baffled, with their areas getting fragmented into three or more wards. Even the reservation of wards has affected the alliance more than the Congress.

The ward of SAD leader and senior deputy mayor Kamaljit Bhatia has been reserved for women, where he now intends to field his wife instead. The area falling under the ward of another SAD leader and deputy mayor Arvinder Oberoi too has been bifurcated, making things difficult for her.

BJP councillor Minta Kochhar says his earlier ward 27 which has Kila Mohalla and Mahendru Mohalla is now was split into four wards —18, 19, 20 and 28. “When I looked into the map, I was shocked at the division. It all depends on the party as to how and from where they want me to contest,” he said.

Likewise, the area of BJP councillor Ravi Mahendru too has been split into two wards. “The one with a major portion from my area is now reserved for SC woman,” he said.

Things, however, have become easier for councillor Aruna Arora and Model Town Market president Rohan Sehgal. The Model Town area has been split into two wards, as a result of which the ongoing war between the twosome will be over and both can claim their candidature. While Arora is a protégé of former minister Mahinder Singh Kaypee, Sehgal is an aide of MLA Pargat Singh.

Some Congress councilors, including Nirmaljit Singh Nimma, Amardeep Kaur and Bal Krishan Bali, who are from the Congress MLA Bawa Henry’s opposite group in the party, also have their wards reserved. Nimma’s ward is now reserved for a Backward Class candidate.