Ramneek Avenue residents seek basic amenities

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Our Correspondent

Jalandhar, March 23

In a press conference that was held by the residents of Ramneek Avenue Welfare Society against Venus Builders Pvt Ltd and Municipal Corporation Jalandhar (MCJ), the residents demanded the development work in their area that lacks even basic amenities, including sewerage, water supply, electricity and streetlights.

Surjeet Singh, the president of the society said, the colony was falling under the jurisdiction of PUDA till 2015 and the licence to develop the colony was accorded to Venus Builders Private Ltd.Subsequently, it was transferred to the Municipal Corporation (MC) in August 2015.

He said though we had visited the PUDA office as well as MCJ a number of times and shown the documents to the officials concerned. However there still prevails the confusion among the authorities regarding under whose jurisdiction the Ramneek Avenue falls.

He said: “The builder has not completed the construction work in the area till date, 12 electrical transformers were promised at the time we purchased houses in the area. However, just four transformers have been installed”.

“There are approx 200 families living in the colony, while we get four hours water supply and there is no green belt in the colony,” he added.

Another member, Maninder Singh Chahal, said the sewerage system was not connected to the main sewer. The streetlights had not been functioning since December 2018. No sweeper or cleaner visited the colony to collect garbage or clean roads. There was a low voltage problem in the area.

Niwajish Mahajan, general secretary of the society, said, “Under the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act, 2014, if a builder fails to carry out development works assigned to him, the corporation holds the right to sue the company and cancel the licence of the builder”.

“However, no such provisions are being followed in the state and the government has failed to implement the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (Amendment) Act in a true sense,” he added.

He alleged that four days ago the PSPCL officials had attempted to cut the electricity supply to their area to which they had complained to the MC Commissioner and Chief Engineer of the PSPCL.

He said they had been demanding development in their area and the matter had been brought to the notice of the Mayor, the Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, the Local Bodies Minister and MC Commissioner, MLA Bawa Henry, but to no avail.

Members of the society said: “We want the MC to take charge of the development works in the area as soon as possible. If our demands are not met, we will be forced to protest.”