Una city to Ring Road, to ease traffic congestion: Vikramaditya

Urban Development and PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh today reviewed the infrastructure development of Una city after recently being upgraded to the status of a Municipal Corporation.

The minister said a Ring Road would be provided in the periphery of Una city to divert inter-city traffic and to prevent the long distance travellers from entering the city. This would reduce traffic congestion and risk of accidents here. He said the matter has been taken up with the National Highways Authority of India for the construction of a four lane ring road around the city.

Vikramaditya also visited the old town hall and discussed the possibilities of renovating it.

Vikramaditya Singh said since a new bus stand has been constructed in Una city, the old bus stand, which is lying abandoned, will be put to use for the residents of the city and the matter will be taken up with the Deputy Chief Minister, who also holds charge of the Transport Department.

The minister said there are some chronic problems like water drainage in some parts of Una city. The issue had come up during his previous review meeting with district level officers here, adding that the municipal authorities are working on the issue. He said vehicle parking lots will be developed to further ease traffic congestion and to allow better opportunities for businessmen, traders and hawkers to sell their goods.

Brushing aside Una MLA Satpal Singh Satti’s statements saying that 14 new panchayats which have been included in the Una Municipal Council were unhappy with the move and that suspension of representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions in these panchayats will result in stalling development works, the minister said development was a continuous process and public works, which stand sanctioned in panchayats and for Una city, will be completed as per the time schedule.

Vikramaditya Singh said the BJP should be happy that residents in the extended Una city will get better facilities like waste management, street lights, drainage, parks and better link roads.

Reacting to BJP’s remarks that the state government should have waited till October end to formally constitute the Una Municipal Corporation since elections to the Panchayats and Urban bodies are due in December and the moral code of conduct was likely to be imposed in October end, he said there is lot of work to do before elections, including demarcating new urban wards and working on the new voter lists.