Govt's dream project proves nightmare for residents

The elevated railway track of Rohtak, which is a dream project of the government, has become a nightmare for the residents of the area in the vicinity of the track.

The elevated railway track has provided much-needed relief to the residents from frequent traffic jams at railway crossings in the city, but it has also put the residents living in adjacent areas to grave inconvenience.

The affected residents are forced to live in filthy surroundings as they await the grant of due compensation for their houses which have to be demolished for the construction of the road along the elevated track.

"We cannot buy a new house until we get the compensation for our house located adjacent to the railway track. Hence, we have no option but to stay squeezed between the railway track and the other houses/shops in our locality," laments Savita, one of the residents of the area.

Savita and several other residents of the area complained of the gross insanitation prevailing in the locality.

"We have been living in inhuman conditions and request the state government and the local municipal authorities to take pity on us by providing the long-awaited relief," said local residents Monu, Mukesh, Surender and Pappu.

The residents rue that the dairies located along the elevated track aggravate the situation by adding to the filth.

As per official sources, the construction of a road along the track also hangs fire as the houses and some shops are yet to be demolished to pave the way for it.

Nearly 60 houses and seven shops are yet to be demolished for the construction of the road, sources point out.

Local Municipal Councillor Kanchan Khurana said she had raised the matter at the recent meetings of the Municipal Corporation and the authorities concerned had assured of resolving the issue at the earliest.

Rohtak Municipal Corporation Commissioner Anand Kumar Sharma asserted that some residents had not given their consent for accepting the compensation fixed by the government, following which a proposal had been sent for reconsideration of the government.

"The matter is being pursued and efforts are being made to reach an amicable settlement," he stated.

Rohtak Mayor Ram Avtar Valmiki maintained that the matter pertaining to the grant of compensation would be settled soon and the officials concerned would also be directed to ensure the maintenance of cleanliness in the area.

The foundation stone of the country's first elevated railway track project was laid in March 2018. It was slated to be completed by September 2019, but got delayed due to techno-legal issues and Covid-induced lockdown. The project finally got commissioned in March 2021. However, while a road (to nowhere) has been constructed along one side of the track, the road proposed on the other side is yet to be built as the matter pertaining to the grant of compensation to the house-owners has been stuck in red tape for years.