Congress, BJP councillors spar over works in Mandi

Mandi, April 23

Congress and BJP councillors of the Mandi Municipal Corporation yesterday sparred over development in wards.

No facilities

The govt had promised the people of the merged areas better road connectivity, pathways, streetlights. However, the MC has not been able to create facilities due to the lack of adequate funds”.— Congress councillors

The Congress councillors alleged that the government had not been able to ensure development in 15 wards of the MC.

Congress councillors Alaknanda Handa, Yograj Yoga and Rajender Singh said in a joint statement that the MC was formed over a year ago but the government had failed to ensure rapid development in the wards.

They said, “The government had promised the people of the merged areas basic amenities such as better road connectivity, pathways, streetlights. However, the MC has not been able to create facilities due to the lack of adequate funds”.

To counter the Congress councillors’ charges, Deputy Mayor Virender Bhatt and BJP councillors Pushap Raj Katyayan, Madhuri Kapoor, Hardeep Singh Raja, Suman Thakur, Neha Kumari, Somesh Upadhyay, Krishan Bhanu and Sudesh Kumari stated in a joint statement that “the one-year tenure of the Mandi MC was full of achievements and all-round development had taken place”.

“Tenders for development works worth Rs 7 crore have been awarded in the past one year in all 15 wards of the MC. Pathways have been constructed and rivulets are being channelled. The Chief Minister has announced Rs 15 crore for the MC, which will be utilised for the construction of parking lots, gyms and community buildings. While Rs 1 crore has been allocated for the construction of a parking lot at Purani Mandi, Rs 3.30 crore has been given to the Jal Shakti Department for restoring traditional water resources,” they said.