Four years on, 66 colonies in F’bad lack basic amenities

Bijendra Ahlawat

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Tribune News Service

Faridabad, July 11

A total of 66 unauthorised colonies in Faridabad city, which the government had announced to regularise nearly four years ago, still continue to remain without basic amenities.

“In 2013-14, the state government had announced to regularise these colonies after collection of development funds. The work was to start within a few months, but nothing happened even after four years,” says Mukesh Kumar, a resident of Bhagat Singh Colony here.

He says these colonies are brought under the Union Government-sponsored the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme in 2015, but residents are still struggling to get minimum basic amenities, including drinking water.

The matter was raised in a meeting of the District Development, Coordination and Monitoring Committee chaired by local MP Krishan Pal Gurjar recently. The officials concerned revealed that the work was likely to start after approval of the detailed project report (DPR) and the survey report submitted by the consultant company.

“The unusual delay on this front has exposed the tall claims of the authorities concerned regarding the Smart City project,” says Varun Sheokand, a social activist. “These colonies have a population of nearly 4.5 lakh,” he adds. Faridabad is among 20 cities of Haryana which has been selected for the development of basic amenities under the AMRUT project launched in June 2015.

Sonal Goel, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF), says the work is likely to take off in the next couple of months as the DPR is ready, but it formal approval is awaited. She adds nearly Rs 301 crore will be spent on the development of sewage lines, water supply, drainage and parks under the scheme in the colonies.