Works worth crores under PIDB pending for 2 years

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, October 11

It has been nearly two years now since every constituency of Jalandhar was given an amount of Rs 10 crore each under the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) for various development works, but only a few works have got completed.

It was during the previous SAD-BJP regime just ahead of the 2017 Assembly poll that an amount of Rs 10 crore to each of the four constituencies - Jalandhar North, Jalandhar West, Jalandhar Cantonment and Jalandhar Central — was given. Since the poll code got implemented, only a few works could get started. When the Congress government took over, it called back funds of all yet-to-be-started works. The funds were returned about six months ago but somehow the works still remain stuck.

Rajinder Beri, MLA Jalandhar Central, has also sent a letter to Mayor Jagdish Raja complaining over the delay in carrying out of various works under the PIDB.

In the complaint letter, it has been mentioned by the MLA that the PIDB grant was given, but several works have not been started yet despite tenders were given to the company, which has been given the contract, in April this year.

“The works were to be completed in five months, but nothing has been done yet, I want to know the action that has been taken against the contractor,” reads the letter.

For the work of interlocking tiles at Datar Nagar, an amount of Rs 20.56 lakh was given under the PIDB and for the maintenance of streets of Gopal Nagar, Rs 9.65 lakh was provided.

For the works of laying ready mixed concrete M-20 in Central Town, Ward No. 30, an amount of Rs 17.89 lakh was given.

While for the works such as construction of streets in Ramesh Colony near RK Book Depot in Ward No. 30 and construction of streets at Kazi Mandi, an amount of Rs 8.04 lakh and Rs 23.86, lakh, respectively, was to be used. But none of these works have been carried out yet, as per the complaint given by Beri. These are the works that have been mentioned in the complaint.

Beri while talking to The Tribune said: “In my constituency, works worth Rs 3.5 crore have still not got completed. The works have been allotted for long and same is the situation in other constituencies too.”

He said besides, Rs 65 lakh of the grant had received for the installation of street lights but not even a single street light had been installed.

Beri said he had sent the complaint letter to the MC Commissioner too. Jalandhar West MLA Sushil Rinku said works worth Rs 3 crore have been pending. Mayor Jagdish Raja said soon the works would be started.

“We have done the preparations and the pending works will start soon,” he said.

As per the figures, in the PIDB Phase II, of the 224 works allotted under the board, only 56 have got completed till now.

Only a few works started due to poll code

It was during the previous SAD-BJP regime just ahead of the 2017 Assembly poll that an amount of Rs 10 crore to each of the four constituencies - Jalandhar North, Jalandhar West, Jalandhar Cantonment and Jalandhar Central — was given. Since the poll code got implemented, only a few works could get started. When the Congress government took over, it called back funds of all yet-to-be-started works. The funds were returned about six months ago but somehow the works still remain stuck.