Clear Ranjit Avenue quarters of occupation: Minister Soni

Strap: Tells officials to handover these to beneficiary slum dwellers

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 17

Cabinet Minister OP Soni on Monday chaired a meeting of the District Grievance Committee and discussed various issues, including illegal hoardings and posters, traffic management, illegal occupation of quarters for slum dwellers and encroachments in the Mall Mandi area. Soni directed officials of various departments to ensure implementation of decisions taken in the meetings of the committee.

On the issue of illegal hoardings, he directed officials to act strictly. With a special mention of the heritage gates across the walled city, Soni said posters and hoardings causing defacement to the gates must be removed immediately.

He also directed the officials concerned to ensure that stray animals were caught and put in shelter homes. The issue of illegal occupation and encroachments in the quarters made for slum dwellers in the Mall Mandi area was discussed. Soni directed officials to clear the occupations and hand over the quarters to their beneficiaries. The minister also directed councillors to address grievances of people in their wards to ensure that the ongoing projects were executed smoothly.

Harvinder Singh Sandhu, a member of the committee, mentioned some projects lying in limbo for the past few years. “The important issues concerning residents include setting up of Fire Brigade office in Ranjit Avenue and work on cremation ground near Gumtala. The Fire Brigade station will serve residents of Ranjit Avenue and outskirts, which also has some industries. Similarly, There is also a requirement of a community hall in the area, for which Rs 10 crore are to be handed over by the Amritsar Improvement Trust,” he said.

He also raised the issue of removal of street vendors from the District Shopping Complex in Ranjit Avenue.