Move to widen streets triggers row

Sirsa, July 27

Attempts to widen streets in Bansal Colony of Ward 8 and 5 have caused dispute among stakeholders in Sirsa. The issue involves the encroachment on Government College land due to which some residents have filed complaints.

Hisar Division Commissioner has instructed the Sirsa Deputy Commissioner (DC) to take action in this regard.

Local MLA Gopal Kanda had, on April 8, written to the Sirsa DC, requesting the expansion of Street No. 1 on Barnala Road in Ward No. 5. He suggested pushing back a wall of Government Women’s College by 20 feet to widen the narrow street. Kanda even offered to cover the costs himself. He reiterated this request to the Higher Education Department on August 16, 2023, leading the department to direct the Sirsa DC to proceed in this regard on November 29, 2023.

However, a resident, Kartar Singh, opposed this move, claiming it was an attempt to illegally seize college land. He sent written complaints to several officials. Singh argued that colonies next to the college had already encroached college land, with some leaders even building houses and illegal pathways on this land. Residents of Bansal Colony had also sought the widening of their street by moving the boundary wall of the National College Principal’s residence. They raised this demand with MLA Kanda on June 19 and during a DC’s grievance camp.

DC RK Singh assured that all aspects of the land issue would be thoroughly examined and that no illegal encroachment on government land would be allowed. Principal Sandeep Goyal of Government National College clarified that the college boundary wall had been in place since 1957. Goyal refuted allegations of the college encroaching on the lane.