The residents of Moga feel cheated as the promises made during the byelection in 2013 by Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal of turning the city into a well-developed metro have not been fulfilled.
The rough roads of the city exhibit the true picture of neglect by the authorities. With elections to the Moga Municipal Corporation (MMC) in limbo, local leaders are taking no interest in development work in the city.
Several roads of wards, including the six main roads-Doshanj road, Akalsar road, Gandhi road, FCI road, Charik bypass road and Lakkar Mandi road-have become one of the worst stretches in the city due to countless potholes which remain filled with water even after several days of rain. The nearly 1 km long Gandhi, Akalsar and FCI roads connect several parts of the city with Moga-Ferozepur and Ludhiana national highway. The dust on the roads creates a harrowing experience for the commuters in normal days. Their difficulties aggravate during rains as water accumulates here and leads to long traffic jams.
Sambhu Nath Sood, general secretary of the RTI Awareness Forum in Moga who resides in a locality situated beside the Moga-Ludhiana road, said though the Punjab government had given Moga the status of municipal corporation, the officials were paying no heed to the roads. "We are left with no option but to live in these conditions as dust has become a part of our everyday life and water inundates the roads even several days after a downpour due to the poor drainage system," said Sood.
{{/usCountry}}Sambhu Nath Sood, general secretary of the RTI Awareness Forum in Moga who resides in a locality situated beside the Moga-Ludhiana road, said though the Punjab government had given Moga the status of municipal corporation, the officials were paying no heed to the roads. "We are left with no option but to live in these conditions as dust has become a part of our everyday life and water inundates the roads even several days after a downpour due to the poor drainage system," said Sood.
{{/usCountry}}"No doubt, the business of a number of shopkeepers whose shops are located on these roads has been adversely affected due to the dilapidated condition of the Moga roads. I had met the deputy chief minister for repairing the city roads and he assured that sufficient funds will be issued soon," said advocate Ranwinder Singh Ranu, national general secretary of SAD (legal cell).
When contacted, Parminder Singh Gill, Moga deputy commissioner, said few days ago some people had met him regarding the poor condition of the roads. "I had submitted a detailed report to the state government immediately. I hope all the roads of Moga city are built soon," said Gill.