Cash-strapped PAU awaits Punjab Mandi Board nod for road repair
Estate officer Rishi Indra Singh Gill said the university is dependent on the mandi board to make and maintain the roads on campus as it didn’t have the funds required for; however, the board is not responsible for campus roads
The roads at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) are coming undone as the cash-strapped university waits for the mandi board’s approval. The road near the weather observatory, petrol pump, seed centre and veterinary college are among those that rile with potholes.
At some of these spots, stalls will be put up during the Kisan Mela, which starts on September 14. Estate officer Rishi Indra Singh Gill said the university is dependent on the mandi board to make and maintain the roads on campus as it didn’t have the funds required for. However, the board is not responsible for campus roads.
He revealed that a case for relaying and blacktopping of the roads that were in poor shape was sent to the board “two to three” months ago. He claimed that a technical team from the board had also visited the campus to prepare and estimate for the project.
Vice-chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal said, “The funds we get are only for salaries and pensions. We don’t have the funds to make and maintain these roads.”
Explaining how the board came into the picture, he said, “The board makes link roads in villages across the state to connect them with mandis so that the farmers can bring their produces unhindered for sale. The board takes a commission in the sale to collect the funds to make the roads. We told the board that our innovation and varieties produced by us were behind the produce that earned them the funds and asked them to look after our roads as well.”
{{/usCountry}}Explaining how the board came into the picture, he said, “The board makes link roads in villages across the state to connect them with mandis so that the farmers can bring their produces unhindered for sale. The board takes a commission in the sale to collect the funds to make the roads. We told the board that our innovation and varieties produced by us were behind the produce that earned them the funds and asked them to look after our roads as well.”
{{/usCountry}}PAU chief engineer Dr Vishwajeet Singh Hans said the board usually carries on the relaying work six years after a road is laid. “They just finished the road on Gate Numbers 1 and 8,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}PAU chief engineer Dr Vishwajeet Singh Hans said the board usually carries on the relaying work six years after a road is laid. “They just finished the road on Gate Numbers 1 and 8,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Mandi board executive engineer Jatin Singla said, “The university sent a demand recently and I have forwarded it to the chief engineer. The demand once cleared by the secretary of the board will be sent to the state government for approval.”
{{/usCountry}}Mandi board executive engineer Jatin Singla said, “The university sent a demand recently and I have forwarded it to the chief engineer. The demand once cleared by the secretary of the board will be sent to the state government for approval.”
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