Tehsil office housed in unsafe building

Despite the Public Works Department (PWD) declaring the Phagwara tehsil office building unsafe nearly nine years ago, the official machinery continues to operate from this hazardous location, putting the lives of staff and visitors at risk.

On June 29, 2016, the former SDO of PWD, Jatinder Kumar, had written a letter to then-SDM Balbir Singh urging him to take action and stop the use of the unsafe building to avoid any untoward incident. However, no action was taken.

The letter was subsequently forwarded to the Deputy Commissioner of Kapurthala, who asked the PWD to submit an estimate for a new building, but the proposal is yet to materialise. Additionally, people visiting the tehsil office are unable to access basic facilities such as washrooms or drinking water.

In response to the concerns, SDO PWD Rajiv Uppal confirmed that steps are being taken to construct a new tehsil complex in Phagwara. He revealed that a budget of Rs 5.98 crore has been approved for the project, which will involve the construction of a modern tehsil complex equipped with updated facilities. The first phase of the project will involve relocating the current record room to the PWD office.

The new complex will be built after demolishing the Tehsildar residences, the old Assistant Treasury Office, and the Naib Tehsildar building. The SDM office, Tehsildar office, and two courtrooms will also be relocated to the new complex, streamlining administrative operations and enhancing efficiency.

Moreover, the existing SDM office is also set to be demolished to pave the way for the construction of the new complex, which aims to provide a modern and secure environment for judicial officers. Regarding the judicial complex, SDO Uppal added that it would require an estimated Rs 42 crore. This facility will include six courtrooms, approximately 150 lawyer chambers, a modern canteen, a bank branch, and a post office.

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