Issue of potholed roads in Patiala to dominate Municipal Corporation Budget meet today

The deteriorating condition of roads in the city will be a major issue during the coming budget session of the Municipal Corporation on March 20. Opposition councillors have criticised the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, accusing it of neglecting road repairs and failing to address public grievances.

Residents across the city have expressed frustration over the poor state of roads, blaming the administration for inadequate maintenance and slow response to their complaints. The Municipal Corporation is set to present an estimated budget of Rs 145 crore on Thursday. Of the total outlay, Rs 108 crore has been earmarked for salaries, pensions, gratuities, and other benefits of employees, while only Rs 33.42 crore has been allocated for development works, including road repairs. In the 2024 budget of Rs 134 crore, Rs 95.49 crore was dedicated to employee salaries and other expenditures, and Rs 50 crore for development works. The reduced allocation for infrastructure development has raised concerns among Opposition leaders and city residents.

When questioned about the issue, Mayor Kundan Gogia stated that he had assumed office just a month ago and this would be his first budget presentation. Acknowledging the high expenditure on salaries and pensions, he emphasised the need to boost revenue generation to fund development works. He stressed that road repairs remained a top priority, and specific funds had been allocated for carpeting and maintenance to address the city’s pressing infrastructure issues.