Shifting of Fazilka bus stand runs into rough weather

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, December 28

Having remained embroiled in controversies since the beginning, the issue of shifting of the bus stand from the old building to the new one has again run into rough weather as the Congress-dominant Fazilka Municipal Council has opposed the reported proposal of the state government for the transfer of land and building of the bus stand to the Transport Department.

The MC is keen to ensure that the bus stand starts operations immediately so it could earn a profit but the Transport Department had allegedly refused to shift to the new building on plea that they would have to shell out extra expenses in new building.

To resolve the issue between the Local Bodies and the Transport Departments, Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar in a meeting held in Chandigarh in presence of senior officers of both the departments, the Fazilka MLA and officials of the district administration on December 7, had directed to swap the buildings of new and old bus stand.

He had also instructed the officials concerned to work out the plan of transferring the land at the earliest.

But it seems that the proposal did not go down well to the Fazilka municipal Council.

Council president Surinder Sachdeva and five-time councillor Surinder Kalra, in a statement issued today, said the council will not transfer the building of new bus stand in favour of Transport Department at any cost. “How can we transfer the prime land in favour of the Transport Department? We cannot betray the residents. Moreover, the proposed income pouring in from entry fees shall have to be sacrificed, adversely affecting the development works in Fazilka,” said Kalra.