Construction of new bus stand comes to standstill in Fazilka

FAZILKA: The matter of prestige between ruling and Opposition leaders has led to the stoppage of construction of the bus stand at a new site here

Updated At : 07:02 AM Dec 12, 2017 IST

The under-construction bus stand in Fazilka. Tribune photo

Praful Chander Nagpal

Fazilka, December 11

The matter of prestige between ruling and Opposition leaders has led to the stoppage of construction of the bus stand at a new site here. The construction had started after the dismissal of a PIL by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in September this year.

The MC had passed a resolution to construct the bus stand at the new site by demolishing the existing community centre constructed by it (council) in 1998. Rs 60 lakh were provided by former MP and senior Congress leader Varinder Kataria for the community centre then. The MC started demolishing the structure in 2015.

The enraged Kataria knocked at the door of the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the demolition of the structure on a plea that the community centre was meant for solemnising the marriages of poor girls and organising cultural programmes there.

The court granted stay on demolishing the structure. After the arguments the court vacated the stay in September this year. The council again started demolishing the remaining part and began construction last month.

“Since the MC is ruled by the BJP, the enraged Congress men, who are at the helm of the affairs in the state, allegedly forced the administration to stop the work,” alleged former Cabinet minister and former Fazilka MLA Surjit Kumar Jyani. He said the previous government had deposited Rs 5.5 crore for the construction of the bus stand with the executing agency, Punjab Mandi Board, but the Congress was trying to hamper the development works for its “vested interests”.

It is stated that the Congress leaders are adamant on reconstructing community centre there.

“The new bus stand is situated opposite the District Administrative Complex and is nearer to District Courts and the under-construction Civil Hospital building, which will be beneficial for the commuters,” said municipal councillor Ashok Jairath.

Executive Engineer, Punjab Mandi Board, Jatinder Singh said the work was stopped on the instructions of higher authorities.