With monsoon fast approaching, councillors from Opposition parties raised serious concerns over pending works in their wards, alleging “step-motherly” treatment by the municipal corporation (MC).
Leaders from the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) cautioned further delays could aggravate civic problems during the rainy season. The councillors alleged repeated requests for development works had gone unheard.
While some councillors are now recording videos and sharing them on social media to draw the authorities’ attention, others are expressing their frustration with MC officials over the alleged lack of action.
SAD councillor from Ward 20 Chatarveer Singh alias Kamal Arora said elected representatives were ultimately answerable to the residents who place their trust in them.
“Before elections, candidates seek votes on the promise of development. People trust us and expect timely execution of works. But in my ward, almost everything is pending. Officials are not even responding to our requests. Recently, I had a heated argument with MC officials because nothing is moving forward. With the monsoon around the corner, the situation has become even more worrying,” rued Arora.
He demanded immediate issuing of tenders for road reconstruction wherever sewerage pipelines had been laid or roads dug up.
“There is no planning. Roads remain damaged long after sewerage work is completed, posing serious risks to residents,” he added.
Echoing similar concerns, Congress councillor from Ward 26 Gaurav Bhatti questioned sanitation claims being made by the state government.
“Minister Harjot Singh Bains keeps posting that no garbage will be visible anywhere. Yesterday, I toured my ward, recorded videos, clicked photographs and uploaded them on social media to show the actual condition of roads, which are littered with garbage. The ruling party’s claims are confined to advertisements and paperwork, and the ground reality is entirely different,” alleged Bhatti.
He warned residents could have to bear foul odour and potential disease outbreaks if garbage was not lifted regularly before monsoon onset.
“The MC will have to bear responsibility if the situation worsens,” he said, adding he submitted a formal complaint to the MC Commissioner on Thursday.
Several councillors alleged development works in the city were being carried out largely on the directions of a few MLAs even as other areas continued to be neglected.
MC Commissioner Neeru Katyal Gupta said she was in Chandigarh for a meeting and will get it checked if councillors had provided any lists of pending works to the authorities.
Mayor Inderjit Kaur claimed to have lists of ward-wise works that had been completed so far.
