Don’t let local issues take a back-seat
With most candidates busy targeting their rivals, Mohali’s local problems have been put on the backburner. Mohali faces a number of problems, but perhaps the most pressing issue is the shortage of water. People living in the upper floors are the most affected by this problem. Also, the city needs a better public transportation system. Also, we need more international flights from the airport. The issues of illegal mining also need to be addressed.
Vineet Gandhi, Chandigarh
Better maintenance
Though Mohali is the only fully planned city in Punjab, it lags behind in terms of maintenance. Areas such as Kharar and Dera Bassi don’t even have proper sewerage system, water supply or road connectivity. Garbage disposal is also not up-to-the-mark. The menace of stray dogs and cattle is also putting the lives of residents at risk. There is also much to be desired in terms of traffic management. Mohali can surely learn a lot of lessons from Chandigarh.
Inderjit Singh Sidhu, Mohali
Waste segregation, repair of airport road stretch
For Mohali to live up to the name of its tricity brethren Chandigarh and Panchkula, waste segregation should be on topmost agenda. Besides, laying of cycle tracks to make the roads safe for cyclists and pedestrians should be taken up on priorty. Also, it is high time that Mohali launches a smart bike project and facility so that its users are connected to Chandigarh. Also, the Airport Road stretch in Mohali has lot of potholes. Also, the local markets can have a lot to work on the cleanliness aspect. Last but not the least, rehabilitation of children, women and old begging on traffic points should be on the agenda for Mohali.
Puja Dua, via email
{{/usCountry}}Puja Dua, via email
{{/usCountry}}A civic mess
The rapid urbanisation over the past few years has left Mohali in a civic mess. Though huge townships and settlements have come up here, it lacks a proper waste management system, sewage disposal, drinking water and electricity supply, roads connectivity and transport. Before Mohali addresses all these problems, it cannot think of creating any new hub here. Though most of these tasks fall under the purview of the civic body, it will not possible to work on these issues without the active support of the local legislator.
SC Luthra, Chandigarh
Deteriorating law-and-order situation a major concern
The deteriorating law and order situation is a major concern for residents of Mohali. Criminals from other parts of Punjab, and even other states, roam around freely in Mohali and commit crimes without fear. The frequent cases of carjacking, snatching, robbery and murder have left residents on the edge. The drug menace is another pressing issue. Policing needs to be improved. Besides, road carpeting must be carried out on priority as most of these are filled with potholes. The IT sector needs expansion as well.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali
Water accumulation of roads
Many areas of Mohali lack an efficient drainage system due to which water accumulates on the road every time there are showers. This is an open invitation to mosquitoes that are the cause of dengue and malaria fevers. Add to that, the poor medical infrastructure of the district due to lack of doctors in government hospitals, a common man is left to fend for himself. Residents also face a number of other problems, such as weak network signals, erratic electricity supply, potholes on roads, poor shape of internal roads, stray cattle menace, filth on roads, open garbage dumps etc. Daylight murders, snatching, increase in hit-and-run cases, adversely reflect on the law and order situation here.
Kidar Nath Sharma, Chandigarh
Rid Mohali of crime and filth
The agenda for the newly elected MLAs in Mohali should be cleanliness and crime-free city, followed by freedom from stray cattle and stray dogs. All record-keeping, with regards to movable/immovable property, should be moved online. Give more teeth to the local police to rid the city of crime. Install high-definition CCTV cameras and surveillance system at vulnerable points for early detection of crime. The power and water supply woes also need to be addressed. Lastly, Mohali needs to improve on Swatch Bharat rankings.
Col TBS Bedi (retd), Mohali
Mohali, an urban nightmare
The rapid urbanisation in Mohali without much thought to providing civic infrastructure has made life a nightmare for residents here. Poor sold waste management, ever-increasing pollution levels, poor condition of roads, especially those around the new and developing townships, absence of a proper public transport system, lawlessness are among the major problems facing the district. It urgently needs political leadership that is ready to work for solving these problems before it’s too late.
Usha Verma, Chandigarh
Infra needs to keep pace with Mohali’s emerging status as IT hub
As Mohali is emerging as a hub of IT and education, it needs to make sure that it is equipped with the required the infrastructure to match up with the growth. As developers are busy constructing skyscrapers, more emphasis should be given to road infrastructure and other basic facilities for the overall development of the areas. The ISBT project is in doldrums for over seven years, leaving the city with no public transportation system. Also, there is no proper solid waste management system. Public health facilities are not up to the mark. Traffic management system needs to be improved. The fire fighting system in the city is inadequate and requires an overhaul.
Suresh Verma, Chandigarh
A lot to be done
The new MLAs on the three seats in Mohali would have their hands full in terms of development. Of all three cities that form the tricity, Mohali is the worst off when it comes to development. Areas falling in Mohali lack basic amenities and to top that encroachments due to political patronage add to the woes of residents.
AK Sharma, Chandigarh
Great expectations
All aspirants for the three assembly seats in Mohali are promising the moon to the public, but it is yet to be seen if they can even provide functional streetlights in all parts of their constituency. By lighting up the dark corners of the city, they will be doing the bare minimum for controlling the crime graph. Apart from that, there are other long-pending issues such as waste segregation and management, road repairs, sewer system, water and electricity supply etc. We expect the next government to do justice to our expectations.
Sqn Ldr Manjit Singh Johar (retd), Chandigarh
Aerocity pangs
The newly developed urban estate—Greater Mohali Area Development Authority Aerocity – in facing multiple issues. First and foremost, the frequent electricity failures, sewer line blockage, non-functional streetlights, irregular drinking water supply have made life a living hell for residents. The new MLA must address these issues on priority.
Harpreet Singh, via email
Rising unemployment worrying
The unemployment rates in Mohali have reached alarming levels. The new MLAs need to bring in more industry and other job avenues to generate employment for the youth. Besides, safety and security of residents, especially women, needs to be improved. The local bus service, which has been in the pipeline for long, needs to be expedited. Traffic, especially on the Zirakpur-Dera Bassi-Patiala road, is among the main headache for commuters. The feasibility of an underpass or overbridge at the railway gate at Baltana needs to be explored. Both Dera Bassi and Zirakpur need an improvement in the drainage system. Last but not the least, a major reason for the mess that Mohali is in, is the rampant corruption that has kept development at bay. This needs to be curbed.
SK Khosla, Chandigarh
Airport Road crying for repairs
Residents of Mohali want increased safety in the city. Police must be on the watch at all times and more and more CCTV cameras should be installed. Solar panels should be made compulsory in big houses and housing societies. The Airport Road is in urgent need of repairs. Many other roads are also awaiting expansion. The grants given for developmental works should be fully utilised and should not remain on government documents only.
Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh
Much to be desired
Mohali needs 24/7 water and electricity supply, affordable homes, good health infrastructure, shelters for the homeless, smart schools, engineering and medical colleges, modern bus stand and upgraded railway station, more employment, shuttle service for Mohali Airport, more traffic personnel to regulate ever-increasing traffic, night patrolling, check on sand, drug and cable mafia, solar energy and rainwater harvesting. And most importantly, authorities needs to take stringent action against fraudulent immigration companies operating out of Mohali.
Navjot Singh Chhabra, Mohali
Use the power to affect change
MLAs exert substantial political clout to influence development work in their constituencies, particularly when are part of the party in power. In addition to the informal power that legislators can exercise, there are some institutional mechanisms that enable them to respond to the needs of constituents. The most important function of the legislature is law-making. The state legislature has the power to make laws on all items on which Parliament cannot legislate. Some of these items are police, prisons, irrigation, agriculture, local governments, public health. It is common to associate MLAs’ performance with micro-level civic issues such as road, water and sewage infrastructure, and garbage management. The much-awaited medical college in Phase 6 must be priority of the new MLA.
Vijay Malia, Chandigarh
Need an accessible MLA
The key issues for next government and three MLAs should be the repair of dilapidated roads, local bus facilities, control of soaring prices of daily us commodities, opening of senior citizen homes, opening of free mohalla clinics, free education in government schools/colleges with compulsory skill/vocational education for all, free electricity and water for all on Delhi pattern, solving unemployment problem, providing unemployment allowance after the age of 18 years to all, doorstep garbage lifting. Also, the new MLA must be accessible to the residents.
Subhash Chugh, via email
Mohali needs to catch up with Chandigarh
Mohali gets its prominence due to its closeness to Chandigarh, but sadly, it has benefitted very little from this. The quality of roads in Mohali is miles away from Chandigarh. The district is also lagging behind its upscale cousin on issues such as roads infrastructure, provision for cycle tracks, especially in industrial areas, where a large population workers commute on cycles. Further, stray dog and cattle menace add to woes. It is also requested to expedite the work related to sewerage system. Hope the new government will provide world-class road infrastructure to Mohali.
S Krishnamurthi, Mohali
Police must be made accountable
MLAs who are elected from all three constituencies of Mohali need to give priority to improving the law-and-order situation, as crimes such as murders, snatchings and carjackings have become rampant. People have started feeling unsafe and avoid moving out of their homes late at night. The police need to be made accountable immediately to rebuild the confidence of the public. Revamping the public transport infrastructure should also be taken up.
Sanjay Chopra, Mohali
Mohali must be covered under piped gas supply
The elected officials must ensure that schools, hospitals and other government services such as the power and sanitation departments are well equipped and properly staffed. All of Mohali district must be covered under piped gas supply on priority, which has already been done in Chandigarh. Areas need to be marked in sectors and localities where pets can release themselves. Also, there should be a system for identification, monitoring and regulation of migrant labourers who are moving into the city.
Lakhvinder Singh, Mohali
Has potential to emerge hub of IT, food processing industries
Mohali, officially known as Sahibzada Ajit Singh (SAS) Nagar, is a planned district in Punjab. It is a commercial hub and forms part of the Tricity. The ensuing elections will elect new MLAs in Mohali and residents have high hopes for them. Mohali city suffers from a plethora of issues which need immediate attention of the MLAs. There is a serious issue of law and order in the district, which has increased of late. The smart city imitative should be another priority of MLAs in Mohali. Potable water, uninterrupted power supply, solid waste management, drainage system, condition of roads etc are the other areas where the citizens expect a lot of improvement. Mohali can attract a lot of investment in areas of IT and food processing industries. The MLAs should have a long term vision for the district. People should be saved from the real estate sharks.
Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh
Check haphazard constructions
Though there is rapid urbanisation taking place in Mohali, it lacks basic infrastructure such as waste management, regular water and electricity supply. The new MLA of the three constituencies in Mohali district should work on waste management in their area and allow construction only on authorised land.
Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh
Drainage system has to be improved
Whenever it rains, roads get waterlogged which leads to accidents, and the issue of poor drainage system needs to be addressed on priority. Heaps of garbage are strewn across the city and the stray cattle menace has become a nightmare for residents. Lack of parking space is also a major inconvenience.
Kundan Lal Sharma, Mohali
CCTVs, streetlights must be installed everywhere
There are a plethora of issues MLAs should focus on. Waste must be managed properly and recycled. CCTVs should be installed everyone and proper lighting must be ensured to make the city safer for all residents, especially women and senior citizens. Improving health and education infrastructure must be focused on as well.
Ishita Nara, Panchkula
Zirakpur needs quality medical facilities
I am a 77-year-old retired bank employee and have been living in Zirakpur for the last 15 years. Over the years, the mushrooming of unplanned colonies has caused a plethora of issues. Encroachments over public land lead to massive traffic jams and main roads and approach roads to various colonies are in such bad shape that it is very difficult to drive or even walk over them. Zirakpur needs good quality medical facilities and hospitals and dispensaries should be established in areas like Baltana, Dhakoli and Bishanpura.
Narendra Nath Sharma, Zirakpur
Reader of the week
Problems galore in all 3 seats of Mohali
For Mohali, the new MLA must focus on developing a world-class IT park, curbing crime rate, managing traffic, introducing a better public transport facility and repairing roads. Kharar needs better street lighting, road infrastructure and traffic management. Dera Bassi has a plethora of problems including poor sewerage system, traffic, connectivity etc.
Kampreet Gill, Chandigarh
Expert take
Youth issues
The education policy should be skill-based and employment-oriented so as to ensure all-round development of our youth. Also, drug menace and traffic problems should be tackled on priority.
Kamal Kumar Garg, Mohali MC commissioner
Skill development
The engineering industry should be equally promoted, along with IT industry, in all three assembly segments. The authorities should introduce skill development programmes and a housing scheme for workers.
Anurag Aggarwal, president, Mohali Industries Association
Sanitation woes
Sanitation is the main issue in all three assembly segments of the Mohali. Also, Sectors 76 to 80 are in need of a government school, dispensary, community centre, local bus service.
MP Singh, president, residents’ welfare & development committee, Sector 79
Job creation
There is need to generate avenues of employment for youth as unemployment is increasing among educated youths. The roads network has been strengthened and new roads are coming but there is need to maintain these.
Ranjit Uppal, general secretary, Omaxe Cassia residents welfare association, Mullanpur
Civic amenities
Most parts of Mohali, especially Zirakpur, lack basic facilities such as drainage system, good roads, health centre and fire brigade. Even after light showers, the roads become inundated. For healthcare, residents are mostly dependent on Chandigarh.
Capt NK Chawla, former president of adhoc RWA Mona Greens