New Pathankot DC Aditya Uppal has his task cut out

Tribune News Service

Ravi Dhaliwal

Pathankot, January 30

The outgoing Deputy Commissioner (DC) Harbir Singh will be remembered for courting a controversy, inadvertently or otherwise, revolving around a land scam. The state government had even issued a show-cause notice to him. His shifting to some other post was on the cards ever since his links with a real estate businessman came out in the open.

Top officials in the loop claim that he was a victim of power politics with a Chandigarh-based senior IAS officer said to be holding a grudge against him. The best part of Harbir Singh’s story is that he took on the encroachment lobby.

So, the first task for the incumbent DC Aditya Uppal is to restore the confidence of the people. He brings with him ample experience and expertise in solving civic problems that matter to the public the most, because of his tenure as Commissioner of Patiala Municipal Corporation (MC). Here in Pathankot too, he will have to tackle the numerous civic problems which have been awaiting a solution for years. Like his predecessor, he too has been given the additional charge of MC Commissioner.

Old-timers, who have been a witness to the rather painful decay of this once scenic township, say the most arduous task Uppal will be facing is the problem pertaining to the nine narrow gauge railway crossings. These crossings simultaneously close for a dozen times a day, thus dividing the city into two parts for long periods of time. The economy, and with it the prosperity of the area, has taken a severe hit. Property rates are refusing to rise and a sense of despondency seems to be all pervasive. Agreed, the DC has no direct role to play in a project which belongs to the Railways, but he can certainly put his views across when it comes to the crunch. And being the executive head of the city, his views and opinions will certainly carry weight. These days, the issue has been relegated to the sidelines because the Chakki railway bridge, which connects the city with the mountains, is being repaired. Consequently, the trains have stopped coming but sooner or later, when the bridge is declared open to rail traffic, the problem will again crop up.

The railways have grappled with the project for decades ever since ex-MP and film icon Vinod Khanna took up the issue with the Central government. The railways have failed to come up with a solution. So have the residents. Several MPs have come and reaped the rich political benefits accruing from the controversial task. However, nothing tangible has been done as of yet.

One solution the DC has is to convince the state government to release funds to construct a flyover. It should start from the St Joseph’s Convent School and end somewhere near Simbal chowk. If this venture is completed, commuters can take the flyover route instead of meandering their way through the railway crossings.

This will be the greatest gift Aditya Uppal will give to the local residents. It will not only restore the once pristine glory of this British-era town but also ease the traffic congestion. Pathankot will definitely get a brand new look but having said that, the effort required is tremendous. “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you are not going to stay where you are. It is high time the flyover takes concrete shape. Our DC is the perfect person to give the project a perfect start,” said academician Dr Samrendra Sharma.

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