Poor governance, stalled projects eroded public trust

Avneet Kaur

Jalandhar, December 26

Local bodies such as the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT), Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) and Jalandhar Development Authority (JDA) were earlier treated with respect. People eagerly awaited projects and schemes launched by these entities. However, with the passage of time, a decline in their standing, marked by poor governance, corruption, mismanagement and dysfunction has been witnessed. This has not only eroded public trust but also plunged them into a financial crisis.

Highs

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• JIT cleared Rs 150-crore loan from PNB and freed properties, including Guru Gobind Singh Stadium
• JDA held e-auctions and demolition drives

Lows

• Stagnation of projects like Surya Enclave Extension, Bibi Bhani Complex, Gurbanta Singh Enclave and frequent protests by allottees
• JIT reeling under financial crisis with a substantial debt hindering new projects
• Latifpura demolition drive and protests by affected residents in its aftermath

Financial turmoil

Despite the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) clearing its Rs 150 crore loan from Punjab National Bank (PNB) this year, the organisation is still grappling with financial turmoil and a substantial debt. This has also impeded the launch of new projects, and public interest in JIT initiatives has waned.

The JIT for instance launched its last scheme in 2011, the Surya Enclave Extension, which faced legal complications with the Punjab and Haryana High Court issuing stay orders. Although the JIT received relief in 2015 after the petition was dismissed, the Surya Enclave Extension scheme still remains in the doldrums, turning a once prime city location into a sprawling garbage dump. Similar is the condition of JIT’s older schemes like Bibi Bhani Complex and Master Gurbanta Singh Enclave, as lack of promised civic amenities has reduced these complexes into havens for addicts.

Plot and flat owners under these schemes, eager for possession, staged protests and held meetings with officials this year, but nothing happened. Seeking justice and refund, the allottees pursued consumer commissions, resulting in numerous judgments favouring them. From 2017 to the present, 247 judgments from district, state and national consumer commissions favoured the allottees, with approximately 270 cases still pending as of now. In 2023 alone, 75 cases were decided in favour of the allottees, with JIT paying Rs 39 crore to their association representing these cases, while Rs 21 crore remains unpaid.

Despite the JIT clearing its Rs 150 crore loan from Punjab National Bank (PNB) this year, the organisation is still grappling with financial turmoil and a substantial debt. This has also impeded the launch of new projects, and public interest in JIT initiatives has waned.

The appointment of Jagtar Singh Sanghera as JIT chairman in 2022 brought hopes of change, but the Latifpura demolition drive, protests held in its aftermath and JIT’s failure to present a rehabilitation plan, have cast a shadow over those expectations.

The JDA too has failed to launch any new scheme or project since 2019. The last project, a commercial building near Old Jail Road, was followed by a prolonged period of inactivity.

While e-auctions were conducted this year to sell 117 properties at prominent locations, sources indicate a lacklustre response. Demolition drives targeted illegal structures, including farmhouses near Udhopur, Phulpur, Nangal Purdil and Lambri villages along the 66-foot road. While these actions demonstrated some activity, the overall project pipeline of the JDA remains stagnant.