Samalkha Municipal Committee upgraded to Municipal Council

The Haryana Government has upgraded Samalkha Municipal Committee to the status of Municipal Council, issuing a gazette notification to this effect on Tuesday. Members of the Samalkha Bachao Sangharsh Samiti marked the occasion by distributing sweets.

Residents of Samalkha are expected to benefit from improved development works and enhanced basic amenities as a result of the move.

Union Minister and former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had announced the upgrade during a rally at Samalkha grain market on November 26, 2023. Following this, the state government has now formalised the decision through the notification.

Earlier, in June last year, the government had expanded the limits of the municipal committee — a move first announced by Khattar during a rally at Jorasi village in February 2019.

PP Kapoor, convener of the Samalkha Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, noted that Samalkha was once a gram panchayat, but after its population reached 20,000 in 1982, it was declared a Municipal Committee. Now, 43 years later, with the population at 62,561, it has been upgraded again.

The municipal area has grown from 4.64 sq km to 10.21 sq km. Kapoor said the change would bring larger grants for development, new delimitations, more wards and an increase in sanitation staff. An Estate Officer will now be appointed, and several colonies will be regularised, providing sanitation, street lights, improved roads, drains, sewerage and potable water.

Colonies now included within the municipal council limits include Bhapra (revenue estate), the complete revenue estate of Samalkha, Mini Secretariat, Ganesh Park Colony (Pawti village), Mayur Vihar Colony, Vikas Nagar, Chandan Garden Colony, Sita Ram Colony Extension, Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti on Nestle Road, Nestle Factory, Tara Enclave, Pritam Pura Extension, Shastri Colony, Dharam Enclave Colony, Bharat Nagar Colony, Sansi Colony, Chopra Colony, Rajiv Colony Extension, Bajrang Colony, Sangam Colony Extension and Gandhi Colony Extension on Jorasi Road.