The ruling Congress in the Solan Municipal Corporation (MC) is facing mounting criticism over its alleged failure to deliver on key civic promises made during the 2021 municipal elections. With the tenure nearing its end, several commitments related to water supply, sewerage, waste management and urban infrastructure remain either partially fulfilled or entirely unaddressed, providing the Opposition BJP fresh ammunition ahead of the civic polls.
One of the party’s major promises, supplying water to domestic consumers at a subsidised rate of Rs 100 per household, could not materialise even after five years. Instead, the civic body has accumulated a staggering liability of Rs 149.78 crore payable to the Jal Shakti Department (JSD) for water supply.
As per a Cabinet decision, the responsibility of water distribution was to be transferred from the MC to the JSD to improve efficiency and reduce the financial burden on the civic body. However, the transfer remains pending. Matters worsened after the JSD enhanced the water tariff nearly fourfold from Rs 27.71 per kilolitre to Rs 100 per kilolitre through a notification issued on September 21, 2024. While the MC continued charging residents at the old rate, it absorbed the enhanced cost itself, leading to the mounting dues.
Residents continue to face frequent water shortages, leaking pipelines and an erratic distribution system. The Opposition BJP has alleged that even muddy water is being supplied in some areas, raising concerns over public health.
The Congress government also failed to ensure complete sewerage connectivity across the civic area due to lack of funds. Though efforts were made to secure Rs 188 crore under the Namami Gange scheme, the project failed to progress significantly because the civic body could not invest in laying the required pipeline network.
Similarly, the promise of free door-to-door garbage collection remained unfulfilled. The MC also faced embarrassment after being penalised Rs 9.9 lakh as environmental compensation for improper solid waste disposal practices.
Several infrastructure-related assurances, including installation of streetlights in all wards, modernisation of public toilets and development of vendor markets to decongest roads, saw only partial implementation. Plans to create underground pathways and additional parking facilities also failed to gain momentum. An under-construction parking project on Railway Road is yet to be completed.
BJP Solan city president Shailendra Gupta termed the Congress tenure “dismal” on the civic amenities front and accused the ruling party of neglecting basic public services.
Defending the performance of the MC, outgoing Mayor Usha Sharma said several new parking projects had recently been initiated and funds sanctioned for ongoing works. She maintained that the water supply infrastructure had been strengthened to ensure regular supply and that ward-wise sewerage treatment plants were being developed for scientific waste disposal.
Solan’s civic promises vs ground situation
