MLAs raise Mohali issues in Assembly, roads & markets take centre stage

Dera Bassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa raised the issue of deteriorating link roads in his constituency during today’s special Assembly Session. He highlighted that 26 link roads, including Panjokhra Sahib, in several villages, have been totally ravished and inquired when these roads will be repaired and metalled.

In response, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian said while the designated time frame for the road repairs has not yet elapsed, the floods in the district and increased traffic due to road diversions at Shambhu border have put additional pressure on the roads. However, the Punjab Mandi Board has already approved the work. He said, "Approximately 615 km of roads across 307 villages are slated to be metalled and once the loan from the Central Government through NABARD is received, the work will begin as all necessary approvals have been secured.”

Village residents have expressed concern that overloaded tipper trucks, used for mining, have caused significant damage to the link roads and are often involved in fatal accidents on the narrow paths. Some of these trucks are sans registration plates and ply on the village roads unchecked, with both the police and administration turning a blind eye towards the situation.

Meanwhile, Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh raised concerns about the pending booth markets in place of the Guru Nanak Khokha Market in Phase 1 and the Rajiv Gandhi Khokha Market in Phase 7.

He pointed out that 280 shopkeepers in Phase 1 and 70 in Phase 7 have been operating their businesses in makeshift structures for the past 40 years. “GMADA should charge nominal fees and construct proper booths and markets for them,” he said. Town Planning Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian informed the House that a committee under the GMADA Chief Administrator has been set up to address the matter and will submit a report soon.

Rupnagar MLA Dinesh Chadha also raised concerns about the non-availability of canal water for irrigation in his constituency. He urged Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal to expedite the construction of Dashmesh Canal. Chadha pointed out that, despite the presence of rivers and canals, previous governments had not provided irrigation water to local farmers. Chadha stressed the need for faster, time-bound progress to benefit the district.