Samalkha’s long-pending demand met: Municipal Council status granted

The state government has given a significant boost to thousands of residents of Samalkha by upgrading the Municipal Committee to the status of a Municipal Council and issuing its gazette notification. While this upgrade marks an important administrative change, residents — particularly those in newly added areas — are still waiting for development works to begin. In the coming days, it will be decided whether the government will initiate development in these colonies by dissolving the present Municipal Committee or by continuing it.

When was the Samalkha Municipal Committee declared?

Before 1982, Samalkha functioned as a gram panchayat. After meeting the norms prescribed for a Municipal Committee, the government declared Samalkha as a Municipal Committee in 1982. Under the Haryana Municipal Act, 1973, an area with a population between 20,000 and 50,000 can be declared a Municipal Committee. For a Municipal Council, the population must be between 50,000 and 3 lakh, while a Municipal Corporation requires a population exceeding 3 lakh.

Why was it necessary to upgrade the committee to a council?

Samalkha was granted Municipal Committee status in 1982 and its boundaries were expanded only once — in 1995. Over time, more than 20 new colonies developed on the outskirts of the town and in the adjoining villages of Pawti, Kiwana and Patti Kalyana. However, neither the Municipal Committee nor the gram panchayats were able to provide even basic amenities such as paved streets, sanitation, sewage systems, potable water and street lighting to these residents. Moreover, people living in these colonies could not participate in municipal elections. The demand to extend the municipal limits and upgrade to a Municipal Council had been pending for years.

How did Samalkha fulfill the criteria for a Municipal Council?

Responding to public demand, Union Minister and former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced the expansion of municipal limits during a political rally in Jorasi village in February 2019. The state government subsequently extended the municipal limits in June last year, incorporating areas from the villages of Pawti, Kiwana and Patti Kalyana, along with colonies on the outskirts of Samalkha. Following this expansion, the population reached 62,561 — meeting the criteria for Municipal Council status. Khattar reaffirmed the upgrade during a rally at the Samalkha grain market on November 26, 2023. Based on this announcement and the population requirement being met, the government officially upgraded Samalkha to a Municipal Council and issued the gazette notification.

How much has the area increased and which colonies are included?

Previously, the Municipal Committee covered 4.64 sq km. This has now expanded to 10.21 sq km. The newly included areas are: revenue estate Bhapra, complete revenue estate of Samalkha, mini secretariat, Ganesh Park colony of 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, Shastry 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.

How will residents benefit?

With Municipal Council status, Samalkha will receive larger grants for development works. Residents of the newly added colonies will be included in the voter rolls, a fresh delimitation of wards will take place and the number of wards is likely to increase. The number of sanitation workers will also be enhanced. An Estate Officer (EO) will head the Municipal Council, replacing the secretary who led the municipal committee and the overall staff strength will grow. The colonies brought under municipal jurisdiction will be regularised, ensuring access to sanitation services, streetlighting, developed roads, drainage, sewerage and potable water.

What next?

PP Kapoor, Convener of the Samalkha Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, welcomed the upgrade and noted that the gazette notification had been issued. However, he pointed out that the Municipal Committee has not yet been dissolved. As per the rules, the committee cannot undertake development work in the newly included colonies. Kapoor urged the government to dissolve the committee at the earliest and appoint an administrator to implement development projects in the municipal council area.