Ajnala: Rural road infra crumbling

Manmeet Singh Gill

A predominantly rural constituency with a majority of the electorate comprising Jats and Rai Sikhs (SC), Ajnala has favoured the candidate who manages to get along with both the communities. The constituency is alongside the International Border with Pakistan. With the Ravi crossing through it, the area has peculiar problems of its own. A better road infrastructure and concrete bridges continue to remain two of the major demands of the residents here.

Past trend

Since 1994, voters have elected either SAD’s Rattan Singh Ajnala or his son Amarpal as an MLA, with the only exception being 2005-2007, when Congress’ Harpartap won the bypoll. Before Rattan, Harpartap’s father, Harcharan was the tallest leader.

Electorate strength

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Total voters – 1,51,794

Male – 77,914

Female  – 75,890

Third gender – 7

Locals’ key demands

• Better roads in rural areas
• Bridges, boats to cross Ravi
• Crackdown on sand mafia
• Strengthening of riverbanks

They complain that the link roads in rural areas have been damaged by trucks and machinery of the sand mafia.

Farmers owning land across the Ravi depend on pontoon bridges and large boats to ferry their men, machinery and produce. Those owning lands across the international fence depend on the BSF for permission to allow them to enter their villages.

Farmers say they have to travel long distance to get to pontoon bridges, therefore concrete bridges should be constructed. The shortage of large boats, which could transport combine harvesters and tractor-trailers, is another problem for the farmers who have land across the border.

The damage caused to the areas near the river by sand mafia is another cause of constant threat for nearby over 40 villages especially during monsoons.