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Ludhiana: Decade on, road project in Juhi Enclave begins
Pending for over a decade, MLA Madan Lal Bagga on Tuesday inaugurated the ₹80-lakh road construction project in Juhi Enclave on Jassian Road, around a month after the Permanent Lok Adalat ordered the attachment of the MC commissioner’s official vehicle
Pending for over a decade, MLA Madan Lal Bagga on Tuesday inaugurated the ₹80-lakh road construction project in Juhi Enclave on Jassian Road, around a month after the Permanent Lok Adalat ordered the attachment of the MC commissioner’s official vehicle.
Residents of the area stated that they have been struggling to get the road constructed since 2012 and a large number of accidents have also taken place due to potholes.
Secretary of Juhi Enclave Residents Welfare Society, BK Baweja, said that after struggling for around 6-7 years, they had moved Lok Adalat in 2018. In 2020, the court ordered the municipal corporation to construct a road in the area within six months and constitute three park management committees in three months.
As MC failed to implement the orders, a contempt petition was filed and the Lok Adalat in May ordered attachment of MC commissioner’s official vehicle.
High drama was witnessed on May 27, when officials led by bailiff of the court reached MC’s Zone-D office to attach movable properties kept at the MC chief’s office, including the vehicle. As MC commissioner Shena Aggarwal was not available at the office, other senior officials intervened and sought some time to take up development works in the area.
Work order yet to be issued
With residents mounting pressure on the authorities and the case pending in court, Bagga jumped the gun and inaugurated the project even before MC issued the work order to a contractor.
MC officials, however, stated that in-anticipation approvals have been given for the project and the work order will be issued by Tuesday evening. Questions were also raised about how MC will construct the road during the monsoons. An official, requesting anonymity, stated that the contractor will first prepare the base and install drain lines and the road will be constructed after the rainy season.
Despite attempts were made to reach MC superintending engineer Tirath Bansal, he was not available for comments.
