CHANDIGARH MC ELECTIONS: Major promise met, but issues remain in Jagga’s ward

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh,November 2

Though BJP councillor from ward number 25 Jagtar Singh Jagga was able to fulfil his major promise of getting a railway underbridge built, road recarpeting and sanitation issues could not be fixed during his five-year tenure. A local resident said road recarpeting work was not carried out at Modern Housing Complex while near duplex houses, it was left midway. Lack of cleanliness and garbage and malba dumps are among other issues bothering local residents.

Due to rain, recarpeting was stopped, but the work will commence soon. As far as malba is concerned, the MC has now decided that it will go to the C&D waste plant. — Jagtar Singh Jagga, BJP Councillor 

“Road recarpeting work started late in our area. Worse, it was left half done as the contractor left in between. We got to know there was some payment issue. No regular cleaning of roads is done by the sanitation staff of the MC. When we take up the matter with the authorities, they blame it on shortage of staff,” said KL Aggarwal, president, Modern Housing Complex (Duplex) Residents Welfare Association, Mani Majra.

“Garbage and debris dumped in different parts of the area are a nuisance. Debris can be seen dumped on the road from Shani Mandir to Durga Nursery and near the gate of duplex houses. Garbage is strewn near a garbage box on the rear side of the BSNL building,” he said.

Col Gursewak Singh (retd), president of the RWA, Modern Housing Complex, said, “We have 30-year-old worn-out water pipelines which haven’t been replaced. We get dirty drinking water supply. Besides, roads are in bad shape and recarpeting is due, but the work hasn’t been started. Sanitation is an issue in the entire ward. After my request, a few sanitation workers were increased, but the sanitation hasn’t improved.” He said, “It is a big relief that the underbridge has come up, but there is no drainage system. Whenever it rains, waterlogging is witnessed under the bridge. It leads to cases of dengue.”

Councillor Jagtar Singh Jagga said, “Due to rain, recarpeting was stopped, but the work will commence soon. For other areas, where recarpeting has not begun, the tendering process is over and the job will be done soon. For sanitation, we are increasing the staff. As far as malba is concerned, the MC has now decided that it will go to the C&D waste plant.”

On underbridge, the former Deputy Mayor said, “It provided great relief from a major traffic bottleneck in my ward. Besides, it provided additional connectivity to Chandigarh and Panchkula for Mani Majra residents. Teething problems of waterlogging have been taken up with the Railways under whose jurisdiction it falls.”

Jagtar Singh Jagga Councillor from ward 25

Area: Old Mani Majra (NAC), Shanti Nagar, Mariwala Town, Thakur Dwara, Chandigarh Housing Complex) and Mohalla Govindpura

Major promise: Getting railway underbridge built

Result: Fulfilled

Achievements claimed

• 14 open-air gyms; 5 new to be opened, two new parks in Nagla and Mori Gate built
• 100 per cent ward covered with street lights and five mast lights
• Sewerage and water pipeline work worth Rs162 crore allotted
• 24X7 water supply
• Rs4 crore allotted for paver blocks
• Road recarpeting work underway