Rapid urbanisation, crass commercialisation bane of Majitha

Rampant commercialisation has resulted in widespread encroachments of footpaths and roads in Majitha, a town and municipal council in Amritsar district.

A good network of roads connecting Majitha to the villages around it paved the way for setting up of stores selling branded and popular items of daily consumption.

Rapid urbanisation led to the setting up of new colonies and demand for more consumer goods and FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Goods) products. All these contributed to rapid commercialisation which is visible while taking a walk in the town.

Jagsir Singh, a farmer from a nearby village, said a visit to Majitha to buy essential articles for domestic purposes would force them to undergo a traffic nightmare. With roads being encroached upon by store owners and 'rehris' (hand carts), people who come for shopping have little space to park their cars. Consequently, they park their vehicles on the roadside which further adds to congestion and ultimately traffic slows down and even contributes to traffic blockades. The government departments concerned show little concern over addressing this problem.

Compounding the trouble of traffic congestion are buses which are undoubtedly a lifeline in this rural area. A majority of the city drivers avoid taking buses inside the bus stand. Instead they prefer to disembark the passengers outside which leads to road congestion and traffic blockade. A newly constructed bus stand was commissioned here several years ago but it remains deserted most of the time.

Gurbhej Singh, a local resident, said an open drain passing through the middle of the sub-division poses hygienic challenges for the dwellers living in its proximity. "Over the years, several new colonies sprung up across the drain, increasing the number of commuters over the bridge. Heaps of garbage lying along it pose another health hazard," he said.

Gurbhej Singh immediately added that the mounds of garbage that have not been lifted can be seen by the roadsides in the town as well. He demanded introduction of a dynamic system for garbage lifting and its disposal in a scientific way so that it does not pose health challenges in the long run.

wuw