Connectivity not an issue in Majitha, but healthcare & potable water are

Situated about 15 kilometres from the holy city, connectivity is one immediate parameter that bounds with residents. A sub-division, Majitha, is well connected not only to Amritsar but also to Pathankot.

Going by "development", Majitha scores high on this count. All link roads to villages and main roads to the adjoining districts of Amritsar and Pathankot are concretised or re-laid. There are ample, and more important, functional streetlights and a rebuilt bus stand that does stand apart.

Harbhajan Singh of the adjoining Kalera village points to the main road from Majitha town to Amritsar. "Its construction started in 2014 for the convenience of its residents," he said.

Concrete roads, tiles in the town, a rebuilt bus stand, the augmented capacity of the main Bijli Ghar, a new building for a separate girls' school on Dadupura road, elevate the infrastructure of Majitha.

"Urbanisation has been taking place in Majitha but it lacks a guiding hand," says a resident Daljit Singh and points to the open drain and garbage being dumped on the edges of the main road near his house. He says most of these houses belong to farmers who are moving out from villages to Majitha town for better living conditions, while keeping a close watch on their farms in villages. This phenomenon contributed in setting up new colonies in the past one and half decade.

Even as an array of development works are carried out in the high-profile constituency, which is called the citadel of Majithia family, inherent problems like healthcare and contaminated underground water remain.

Gurpreet Singh of Hariya Wale village said a well-laid road connects Majitha town to Pathankot.

The solitary Community Health Centre (CHC) battles staff shortage. It has led to a sharp decline in the footfall of patients, who either go to private clinics or to Amritsar.

Located close to the hospital, the 20-bed CHC, says Shivinder Singh, is underutilised due to scarcity of doctors. The medical staff treats drug addicts in case they drop in. They also refer them to the drug and rehabilitation centre at Amritsar.