Anandpur Sahib: Major projects hanging fire for years

Arun Sharma

Residents of the constituency — the birthplace of Khalsa — have not seen any drastic change as all major projects inititated during the last regime could not be completed till now. The underconstruction railway over-bridge and a bridge on the Sutlej at Nangal since 2017 cause frequent traffic jams.

Past trend

The constituency, known as Nangal until 2007 Assembly polls, has primarily seen keen contest between the Congress and BJP. Both parties have fielded Rana KP Singh and Madan Mohan Mittal since 2002, barring 2017 when the BJP dropped the latter.

Electorate strength

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Total voters – 1,89,455

Male – 98,906

Female – 90,544

Third gender – 5

Locals’ key demands

• Ownership of leasehold land
• Completion of ROB at Nangal
• Lift irrigation scheme
• Naina Devi ropeway

The seven-decade-old demand of Nangal residents to have ownership rights on land with them on lease from BBMB remains pending despite their several protests and memorandum.

A lift irrigation scheme to provide water to farmers of nearly two dozen villages in the Changar area was launched three years ago on January 24, 2019, by former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh. The Rs 100 crore scheme was to be completed in nine phases within three years. Till now, the water could be release to mere two villages that also just recently.

The channelisation of Swan river to protect villages in Anandpur Sahib and the Anandpur Sahib-Naina Devi ropeway project, which could have given a major fillip to tourism in the area, has been on the backburner for the past five years. Truck operators, who depended on work from National Fertilisers Limited and Punjab Alkalies and Chemicals Limited, have been rendered jobless since the dissolution of truck unions.