Post deadline, work on Panipat old Industrial Area still pending
Mukesh Tandon
Tribune News Service
Panipat, August 17
Waterlogged broken roads, choked sewerage and non-functional street lights have become the identity of the old Industrial Area here. The BJP-led state government had sanctioned Rs 31 crore for providing basic infrastructure in the area in 2017, but reportedly only 12 per cent work was completed so far due to the lethargic attitude of the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) officials and the contractor.
The deadline to complete the work ended in March. Industrialists had raised their voice before the MP, MLAs and Mayor for poor infrastructure but the problem was not resolved.
Notably, former Industries Minister Vipul Goel had announced Rs 31 crore for improving infrastructure there, including street lights, roller compacted concrete (RCC) roads and sewerage on July 28, 2017.
The HSIIDC had allotted work orders worth Rs 16.93 crore in March 2019 to a construction company for upgradation of roads to Balaji Construction Company and that of construction of box drains worth Rs 9.39 crore to Shiv Darshan associates on September 12, 2019.
Panipat Industrial Development Association president Roshan Lal Dhiman said the condition of roads in the industrial area was pitiable. Commuters find it very difficult to ply their vehicles on the roads here, said Dhiman.
“I have filed complaint on the CM Window against the lethargic attitude of the HSIIDC officials, but to no avail,” he added. Dhiman said on Friday he gave a call to the members of the industrial association to protest and start hunger strike against the issue.
Vinod Dhamija, an exporter, said they had been suffering due to the absence of basic infrastructure in the area.
The government had sanctioned funds worth crores in 2017 and the tenders were allotted last year, but only 8 to 10 per cent work had been done so far while the contractor had to complete the work within 12 months i.e. up to March 2020, he said. Contractor got the roads dug and stopped the work midway, he alleged.
Sunil Tuli, another industrialist, said they had raised the issue before MP Sanjay Bhatia, MLA Pramod Vij and Mayor Avneet Kaur several times, but to no avail.
Gulshan of Balaji Construction Company said the work was delayed due to some technical reasons. Around 15 per cent work has been completed and the work would be completed by December, he claimed. He had installed a concrete plant of increased capacity at the site to speed-up the work, he added. Despite several attempts, Virender Kadyan, XEN, HSIIDC, did not respond.
