Garbage, garbage everywhere in Phagwara
The new Phagwara Municipal Corporation Mayor, Rampal of the Aam Aadmi Party, is grappling with multiple challenges since he took office two weeks ago. Not only has his election been challenged by the Congress, but he also faces a host of civic issues that have been plaguing the city for years.
Phagwara’s Municipal Committee was upgraded to a Municipal Corporation 13 years ago, and the city elected its first Mayor in February 2015. However, despite the passage of time, many basic amenities continue to elude the city.
As per data, 60% of the city’s 14,900 streetlight points are not functioning. With a population of 137,581 residents across 39,376 houses, only 23,535 homes have water connections. Areas like Khotra Road, Nakodar Road and Kotrani Road still lack a regular water supply. SDO Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Pardeep Chottani, confirmed, “The water supply of Phagwara is being given in more than 90% of the localities.”
Approximately 15% of the city remains without a basic sewerage facility. Although three Sewerage Treatment Plants with a combined capacity of 36 million litres per day are operating, residents in Hajipur, Gaunspur, Hoshiarpur Road, Khalwara Road, Baba Gadhia, and Purewal Nagar still lack the basic sewage infrastructure.
The roads, too, are in poor condition. Major roads such as the Phagwara-Palahi Road and Phagwara-Banga Road were repaired with patchwork just ahead of the December 21 MC elections. Piles of garbage are scattered throughout the city, with the old Post Office Road dumping site serving as a significant eyesore, causing pedestrians to cover their noses as they pass by. The residents of Gaushala Bazar, Old Dana Mandi, and Patel Nagar face severe waterlogging issues during the rainy season, yet the problem remains unaddressed due to a lack of proper drainage.
“A lack of development in the city since 2020 can be attributed to the end of the first Mayor’s tenure. The MC elections couldn’t be held for five years due to pending litigation. Since there was no Mayor or even a councillor in power, the residents’ issues were largely ignored. Phagwara even lacked a regular MC Commissioner,” said a BJP leader. The leader further pointed out that 58 out of 68 sanctioned posts for clerks and officers in Phagwara MC remain vacant.
Congress MLA Balwinder S Dhaliwal criticised the current AAP-led administration, stating, “Whatever development has taken place in Phagwara was during the Congress regime. The AAP cannot take credit for any work since it came to power about 2.5 years ago. It is merely completing the projects initiated by the Congress government and taking undue credit for the same.”
MC Commissioner Navneet Bal acknowledged the staff shortage issue, stating, “The shortage of MC staff is a problem. Still, with the existing team, we are trying to redress the grievances of the people at the earliest.”
MC established in 2011
The Phagwara Municipal Corporation, with 50 wards, was established on July 29, 2011. Satish Kumar Singla, a PCS officer, served as the first Commissioner of MC Phagwara. However, the first elected MC House was formed in February 2015, with BJP’s Arun Khosla elected as its first Mayor.
