Site identified for public park in Ludhiana turns out to be bank property

A month ago, MLA Rakesh Pandey had claimed that a public park will be set up for the area residents on the land measuring nearly one acre

Projected as a site for a model public park by Congress MLA Rakesh Pandey and mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu a month ago, the vacant land at the Tyre Market near Naulakha Cinema Road has turned out to be bank property.

Boundary wall constructed around the site by the bank near the Tyre Market. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

A month ago, Pandey had claimed that a public park will be set up for the area residents on the land measuring nearly one acre, amid the MLA’s scrutiny by opposition leaders for failing to bring any citizen-centric development in North constituency.

But now, it has come to light that the entire area was pledged to a bank, which has started constructing a wall at the site to cordon it off. A signboard, reading that the property belongs to the bank, has also been erected on the land.

Tajinder Kumar, one of the shopkeepers, while showing rent slips paid to the bank, said the property was pledged to Ludhiana Central Cooperative Bank. “When mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu and MLA Rakesh Pandey arrived at the site in March, I had apprised them of the land’s status. But, like other shopkeepers, I was dismissed,” he claimed.

Another shopkeeper, who is paying rent to the bank, said a shopping mart was opened in the area decades ago, but after the concept failed, the bank took control of the land.

Despite repeated attempts, bank officials refused to comment on the issue.

When contacted, mayor Sandhu said he had marked an inquiry into the matter. “The record states that the land belongs to the municipal corporation. To clear this out, I have sought an inquiry. If the land indeed belongs to the civic body, we will take over the property, else another chunk of land will be identified for the park,” he added.

Congress MLA Rakesh Pandey, who is recuperating from Covid-19, was not available for a comment.

The land in question is located right in the heart of old city and connects Field Ganj, Lakkar Bazaar, Nawan Mohalla and other areas.