In Faridabad, several projects on hold due to ‘early’ election

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Faridabad, August 17

The announcement of the poll date in the state earlier than expected seems to have snatched the political advantage that was expected for the ruling party as the inauguration of some major projects are not likely to be done prior to the Assembly polls.

While the ruling party leaders and elected representatives had been on a kind of spree to lay the foundation stone or inauguration of various projects of civic infrastructure in their respective constituencies, perhaps to ensure a positive impact regarding their performance as the state assembly elections , the declaration of the poll schedule by the Election Commission of India on Friday seems to have left the plans of the inauguration of the some of the projects in abeyance due to the imposition of the Mode Code of Conduct, claim the sources in the district administration.

The Delhi- Mumbai Expressway and the bridge over the Yamuna to connect Faridabad with Greater Noida are among those projects whose inauguration had been proposed before the elections and instructions had been issued to the agencies and departments concerned, according to the sources. Both the projects which had been running well behind the schedule and had missed many deadlines are now not expected to be inaugurated before the elections, said an official on the condition of anonymity.

He said earlier the agencies carrying out the projects like Delhi-Mumbai Expressway corridor and Manjhawali bridge over the Yamuna had been asked to ensure their inauguration prior to the polls.

The officials had reportedly been asked to speed up the pace of work of majority of the works which include the construction of roads, streets, drains, sewage and water supply system besides the announcement of launching of the basic infrastructure in many residential colonies which had been regularized by the government.

Cabinet Minister Mool Chand Sharma said projects, including a new college and a flyover worth over 250 crore, have been inaugurated in the past two months in his constituency. Welcoming the poll schedule, he said voters viewed the BJP’s work positively and there would be no adverse impact of the party’s chances to return to power for the third time.