AMRITSAR
As the campaigning for the December 21 Municipal Corporation polls gains momentum in the holy city, an epicentre of religious tourism in the state, local civic issues and concerns have once again came into limelight with solutions yet far from sight.
The city saw the execution of many projects under much-hyped Centre-funded Smart City project, while other central schemes including the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) were also launched yet people of this world famous city are facing ever persisting civic issues including poor sanitation arrangements, improper sewerage system and lack of proper infrastructure etc.
Amritsar is littered with heaps of garbage, overflowing sewer pipes and dilapidated roads giving nightmare to the commuters. The elevated road leading to the main parking of the Golden Temple is in dilapidated condition since long.
Congestion in the streets and roads due to illegal encroachments, unruly vendors, movement of auto and e-rickshaws beyond limits, mismanagement of traffic all add to the woes of not only locals but the tourists, impacting the local economy which is largely based on tourism and hotel industry.
Markets and bazaars are choked with vehicles and devotees and visitors struggle to reach the shrine. Despite the issues being raised time and again in successive Lok Sabha and state polls too, the MC as well as the administration has no concrete plan to fix these concerns.
{{/usCountry}}Markets and bazaars are choked with vehicles and devotees and visitors struggle to reach the shrine. Despite the issues being raised time and again in successive Lok Sabha and state polls too, the MC as well as the administration has no concrete plan to fix these concerns.
{{/usCountry}}Largest garbage dumping site at Bhagtanwala within the city limits has been an eyesore for decades. Situated in the vicinity of the Golden Temple and spread over 25 acres, approximately 400 tons of garbage is dumped here daily. Successive governments have promised to relocate the dump, a health hazard, but nothing has materialised so far.
Highly toxic Tung Dhab drain, illegal hotels, restaurants and guest houses and stray dogs all indicate an administrative inertia.
Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) buses were kept off the roads for a long time. The service has been resumed ahead of the elections, but only few buses are in operation.
Even the heritage street leading to the supreme Sikh shrine, a much-hyped project of the SAD-BJP regime, is now prone to waterlogging, especially during rainy days.
“I have seen that many candidates are bagging votes without redressing their grievances and issues. Ironically, the residents are not making them answerable over the civic issues. This is a cause of concern”, said Naresh Johar, an RTI activist who has been vocal about the local issues.
An NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch also highlighted the major issues of the holy city asking the candidates to adopt these issues as their agenda. It raises demands such as: Street vending act; parking fees; no building within the walled city; government notification regarding prohibition of sale of tobacco within the 100m radius of religious places, new or revamping schools and hospitals.
Senior Congress leader and former leader of opposition in MC house Rajkanwalpreetpal Singh Lucky who is also contesting the elections, said, “Ever since the AAP formed the government it has provided no help to MC to tackle various civic issues in the city. We are using money from our pockets to fix problems of residents like lack of cleanliness, poor sewerage system, lack of proper supply of drinking water and poor infra”.
BJP district president Harwinder Singh Sandhu blamed both Congress and AAP for the woes of Amritsar.
“The people had high hopes that the change of regime would also change the fate of the people here, but they were wrong. Nothing has been done for the betterment of the city, which is still facing the same old issues”, he said.
Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said despite having a short time, the AAP has done a lot for the welfare of the Amritsar residents.
“Infrastructure has been improved and many other issues related to traffic, sanitation, waste management and the defunct BRTS project have been addressed by the AAP government. The voters supporting the party candidates based on these works done by the state government”.
They say
Majority of the candidate do not seem serious on the concerns and issues of the city. Honest approach is needed to resolve these issues. City needs a stable transport facility and not an election stunt.
Kulwant Singh Ankhi, a social worker
For decades, critical civic issues like potable drinking water, effective sewerage systems, durable road infrastructure, and the alarming pollution of the Tung Dhab drain have remained unresolved. Despite promises, there has been no meaningful groundwork.
Yogesh Kamra, a resident
Poor civic facilities affects holistic development and economy of the city. The councillors can play an important role in addressing these issues but most of them do not do justice to their post.
Kamal Dalmia, industrialist
The candidates make tall promises for vote, but after winning the elections, they forget their actual responsibilities. This happens at every level—be it parliamentary election, assembly elections or Municipal Corporation elections.
Renu Sharma, a resident