Colony named after CM in neglect

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 10

Transport Nagar, which was named after Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh during the Congress regime in 2002-07, has been facing neglect as the area has been deprived of basic amenities such as roads and street lights.

Besides, the public parks are also in a bad condition in Capt Amarinder Singh Transport Nagar.

The Congress government, during the last tenure of Capt Amarinder Singh from 2002-2007, had planned the Transport Nagar project which has a residential colony and a commercial area on 67 acres near the NFL on the Goniana road.

In the last 10 years of the SAD-BJP rule, the project faced total neglect. However, even after Capt Amarinder Singh has taken command in his own hands, the government has shown no interest in the project.

Allottees of plots, shops and commercial places are feeling cheated as they invested in the project sensing that it was being built after the name of the Chief Minister and would be developed on time and lavishly.

After allotment of plots in 2005, the Bathinda Improvement Trust had imposed a non-construction charge in 2012, but failed to develop it.

As a result, 174 plot owners have been visiting various departments with the allotment letter, but to no avail.

Plot owners rue that they are forced to stay in rented houses due to work on the colony still lying incomplete.

In 2016, the plot owners had deposited the non-construction charges, but then the Improvement Trust had released a tender notice for the construction of the boundary walls and roads.

The allottees also alleged that there was no RO plant, sewerage or any other basic amenities in the area but despite this, non-construction charges had been imposed.

A few houses have been built but the condition is such that due to lack of basic amenities, residents don’t stay there and nobody is ready to take them on rent as well.

One of the allottees, Jagdish, said “The authorities could have at least ensured safety of people by installing street lights and constructing internal roads so that people living in rented accommodations could shift to their own flats.”

Earlier, tenders were floated to develop Transport Nagar, but later, due to alleged financial crunch, these were cancelled. As a result, the colony, including parks, is lying in a dilapidated condition.

Deputy Commissioner Praneet said, “We would be developing Transport Nagar, which is name after Capt Amarinder Singh, along with the dairy project land in the coming days.”

When asked about the cancellation of tenders due to financial crunch, he said he didn’t know about it and he would enquire into it.