PUDA-MC coordination failure hits civic amenities in urban colonies

Poor coordination between the Punjab Urban Development Authority (PUDA) and the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) and has left thousands of residents and traders in six colonies grappling with poor civic infrastructure for more than 20 years. According to rules, colonies must be taken over by the municipal corporation within five years of their establishment.

However, several colonies, including Sahaj Enclave, Old Tehsilpura Market, Ranjit Avenue Sectors 3 and 4, Green Avenue’s Janata Colony, and Dhobi Ghat have not been taken over by the MC. As a result, residents complain of broken roads, non-functional sewage systems and neglected public facilities such as parks and toilets. For years, they have been shuttling between PUDA and MC offices in search of solutions, but neither side has resolved the matter. PUDA claims it has repeatedly sent reminders to the MC, but the takeover process has not been completed.

In Sahaj Enclave, developed by PUDA in 2001, residents say roads have not been repaired for 15 years, with potholes turning into waterlogged hazards during monsoons. Shopping complex roads have caved in and park swings lie broken. Conditions are equally grim in Green Avenue’s Janata Colony, where shopkeepers work next to a public toilet that is on the verge of collapse. “The stench is so unbearable that customers avoid our shops,” said a trader.

Old Tehsilpura Market’s shopkeepers also suffer due to outdated and undersized sewer chambers installed decades ago by PUDA, causing frequent overflow and waste accumulation on streets. Traders claim customers have stopped visiting due to the market’s unhygienic conditions.

PUDA officials insist their role is to develop the colonies before handing them over, while MC officials maintain that a takeover can only happen once all formalities are completed. Meanwhile, residents remain caught between two departments, enduring civic neglect for decades.