Jalandhar, October 8
Just a few years back, people loved to commute through the prime intersections of the city, but today all entry points to the city are blocked by the lingering construction work of mammoth flyovers. Five railway over-bridges (ROBs) are under construction in different parts of the city, delayed completion of which is causing inconvenience to commuters.

Of all these five flyovers, the PWD and Railways are jointly constructing three. Similarly, other two flyovers are being construction under the authority of the Municipal Corporation and Railways. A brief look over all these projects can prove that instead of making commuting easy, these projects are creating nuisance at all the entry points of the city.

The flyover which is meant to ease the flow of traffic from areas around the railway station and Mai Heera Gate to other side of the railway track up to the GT Road has been facing uncertainty since its inception. Even today, commuters use Domoria Pul as only major entry point from the GT Road to railway station through Doaba Chowk and the Kishanpura area.

The corporation started the construction of a railway bridge over the Jalandhar-Ferozepur railway track near DAV institutes in 2006, which is major entry point for commuters coming from Amritsar and Gurdaspur.

Another major project is flyover near Layallpur Khalsa College, meant to cater city traffic and traffic of buses from the bus stand to the GT Road through BSF Chowk. The Railways and PWD took up the project jointly. Though the railway authorities are claiming that the flyover will be complete by March next year, but this under-construction flyover is a source of worriment for passengers and commuters entering the city from down south everyday.

The construction of other two flyovers, over the Jalandhar-Pathankot railway track and Jalandhar-Amritsar railway track, is also in limbo. The flyover near Maksoodaan will be the major entry point for commuters from the GT Road to Maksoodaan. Similarly, the bridge over the Jalandhar-Pathankot railway track near Suchi Pind will be sole major entry point for passengers coming from the Pathankot and Hoshiarpur areas. The completion of these flyovers may be done by March and June, respectively.

Two major education institutes, Layalpur Khalsa educational institutes and DAV, are facing trouble due to delay in these projects. Prof V.K. Tiwari, Principal of DAV College, said, “The areas around the flyovers have become accident prone. There is resentment among students and parents as there is no arrangement for flow of traffic across the railway track.

Moreover, suspended pollutants in environment are matter of concern for students of our institute and residents of the area. Now parents think twice to send their children to our institute. Contractors do not even bother to construct service lanes alongside these flyovers.”

Prof J.S. Randhawa, Principal of Layallpur Khalsa College, said, “We have our institutes along both sides of the road. The delay in the construction of the flyover is hindering coordination between our institutions. The passage for students from hostel to college is being provided through the Principal residence.”

Similarly, officers and employees of the Punjab Roadways are disconcerted over the delay in the completion of these flyovers. “No doubt, that common public has to bear the cost of development in the form of inconvenience, but delay in these projects now has become source of discontentment in the minds of daily commuters and passengers,” they opined.

Jalandhar, October 8
Though governments in foreign countries are hitting hard on the illegal immigration but governments here in India are not even scanning the functioning of faulty migration agencies or travel agents.

These were the views of the victims of those agents or agencies during a protest organised by the Lok Bhalai Party (LBP). Victims were protesting against one defamed migration company, which exploited youth by offering them fake study visas.

While talking to media, Amrik Singh Varpal, in charge of Majha-Doaba zone of the LBP, said, “This company has charged Rs 2,000 to Rs 85,000 from each student and also got affidavits duly signed by students according to which the amount paid to this company is non-refundable. The ‘offer letter’, which is purported to be issued by one academy of Canada, is also fake.”

This company is allegedly making fake “Gap” and “Experience Certificates” by charging Rs 40,000 per case, he added. The victim students said after being deceived, they have contacted owners of the company but they neither gave details of our case nor returned our money back.

Victims also lodged their complaint 15 days back but the police did not take action against the company, added the group of 27 youths, defrauded by the company.

Ramandeep Singh Bharowal, media in charge of the LBP, said, “Number of fake colleges have been closed in western countries but some companies are cheating youth of Punjab on the name of these colleges and extracting amount in tune of Rs 20 crore per day. Due to these spurious agents and companies, youth from Punjab is leading miserable lives abroad.”

Members of LBP and group of 27 youth later submitted memorandum to the DC.

Jalandhar, October 8
Delay in laying down the new turf at the local Olympian Surjit Hockey stadium has resulted in the postponement of the prestigious 26th Surjit Hockey tournament for a week.

The new dates of the tournament would be announced soon after a meeting with the officials of Hockey India.

Earlier the tournament was slated to be held from October 23 to 30 this month. The reconstruction work was expected to be over by the September end.

The Sports Department earmarked an amount of Rs 3 crore for the complete overhaul of the stadium. A department has roped in a German-based company for turf relaying. At present the labourers are working to raise the ground level by 2 inches.

Talking to The Tribune, Hazari Lal Sharma, Project Chairman and Deputy Director Sports, Jalandhar Division, said the department is in the process to raise the ground level by 2 inches and then start the laying the turf.

“We are looking forward to the early visit of the German-based company after which the work on the turf would begin. The team is expected to visit Jalandhar in a week’s time,” he added.

Meanwhile, the cash prize amount for the winners in the tournament has also been increased as per the report submitted by the sub-committee of the tournament headed by Director Sports, Punjab, Pargat Singh, including other officials. The winners of the 26th edition of Surjit Hockey tournament will get Rs 2.5 lakh while the runners-up team would get Rs 1.5 lakh as award. Apart from this the best player of the tournament would get Rs 25,000 as prize money.

Jalandhar, October 8
The first-ever week-long National Art Festival, in collaboration with Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi, began at Virsa Vihar here today. The fair would conclude on October 14. An event to acquaint city residents with the mélange of contemporary art and culture, the fair is the brainchild of Apeejay College of Fine Arts Principal Sucharita Sharma. She is the only member of Lalit Kala Akademi from Punjab.

Earlier chief guest of the event, Local Bodies Minister Manorajan Kalia inaugurated the fair and laid the foundation stone of an open-air theatre at Virsa Vihar. The art lovers in the city have been demanding a state-of-the-art open-air theatre where regular theatre festivals could be held. 

The minister was accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Ajeet Singh Pannu. Later in the evening a kathak performance by Ananya was held which opened up to a jampacked hall.

A felicitation function was held in which veteran artistes from Punjab, including Avtar Singh from Amritsar, Baldev Gambhir from Amritsar, Jagdeep Singh Garcha from Mohali, Dr Surjit Kaur from Jalandhar and Mehar Singh from Chandigarh were felicitated. An exhibition of the works of veteran artistes was put up at the Dr Satya Paul Art Gallery.

Adding charm to the art fair was a variety of ethnic craft stalls which saw a good response. From salwar-kameez to home decors, ivory furniture and designer jewellery, citizens, especially the youth, had a gala time enjoying the first evening of the fair. Sonia Sehajpal, an art lover, said it was for the first time that the city was witnessing a week-long art and craft event. 

Jalandhar, October 8
Sagas of long-serving MPs, MLAs or CMs are widely popular but stories of long-serving village leaders are hardly audible. Impatient masses along with substance of resentment in their minds hardly bear to see face of their elected leaders for next term. But persons like Mahla Singh are exception to this notion.

Mahla Singh has administered, but not ruled, his village for 35 years.

Mahla Singh, who belongs to Mundi Choliya village of Block Lohia and who remained Head of Panchayat Committee of his village from 1968 to 2003, was unanimously elected sarpanch of village for four times in these 35 years.

On 50th anniversary of Panchayti Raj Institutions, Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha Sangma honored Mahla Singh. This function was organised to honour panches and sarpanches from all over India, who served for more than 25 years.

While sharing his political journey, Mahla Singh said, “Almost every year in the sixties and seventies, our villages in the area were hit by severe floods, which usually persisted for months. There was no bridge to cross Kali Bein.

We, as a group, started organising meetings to urge the local population to get rid of these problems. Ultimately, in late seventies, Balwant Singh, who was the then Finance Minister, issued great amount of funds for the development of our area, which is popularly known as ‘Bet’. In 1982, call for “Dharam Yudh Morcha” was given and I along with 100 persons from my area spent one month in the jail. After that I became full time member of the Akali Dal.”

“Reason for my success is that I always tried to solve scuffles between villagers at the Panchayat level. In 35 years, not even a single person has gone to the police station or courts. I never tried to act as a middleman between common masses and police/advocates,” added Mahla Singh.

Nowadays, Mahla Singh has been serving as a Chairman of Zila Parishad, Jalandhar, since September 2009. He is now planning to chalk out a number of programmes for the overall development of villages. Seat of sarpanch has been converted to reserve seat in 2003. That year too, villagers chose him sarpanch unanimously. Recently, his wife has been elected as sarpanch of village.

Jalandhar, October 8
The sudden floods in the southern part of the country have hit the yield of onion crop leading to sky-high prices within days. Onion, which remained at a reasonable price of Rs 14 per kg till some days back, soared up to Rs 27 to 30 per kg this week.

Traders are of the view that the prices are expected to soar even high as the onion yield is severely hit. Even potato also saw an increase of Rs 5 in its prices and was available at Rs 20 per kg this week. However, the prices of tomato witnessed decline of Rs 7 and was available at Rs 15 this week.

Among the seasonal vegetables, the prices of cauliflower varied between Rs 35 to 40 per kg. Peas have also reached the market. At present peas are available at Rs 80 per kg. Ginger is available at Rs 60 per kg. Earlier ginger was available at Rs 100 per kg. Radish is available at Rs 25 per kg.

Meanwhile, the price of lady’s finger did not witness any change and remained at Rs 20 per kg. Beans are available at Rs 40 per kg. Among fruits, apple remained at Rs 60 per kg while banana was available at Rs 30 per dozen. 

Phagwara October 8
The police has registered a case under sections 302 and 34, IPC, against five alleged killers, including Jaspreet Singh and Amrit Kumar of Jalandhar, on the charge of killing their own partner Mandip Kumar of the local Pipa Rangi locality. This was stated by DSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh while talking to newsmen here this evening.

The DSP said that a dispute of money among the killers and the deceased was said to be the cause of murder. He said deceased Mandip went to the killers to settle the dispute, but the accused offered him tea mixed with intoxicant and he fell unconscious after taking tea on October 5.

Balwinder Kumar, the elder brother of the deceased, told the police that Mandip was admitted in the DMC, Ludhiana, where he died on the night of October 7. However, the accused were still at large, said the DSP.