Shiv Nagar residents a harried lot due to defunct road, MC apathy

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, May 25

The residents Shiv Nagar locality in the Islamabad area of the holy city are facing inconvenience as the connecting road to their area was snapped after various development works.

A resident of the area, Mahinder Gupta, said the Shiv Nagar locality was established between two major roads; Lahori Gate to Islamabad road and Lohgarh Gate to Islamabad road. He added that the locality’s link road connecting Lohgarh Gate to Islamabad was defunct due to a park on the way.

Ironically, in the planning map, this link road existed. Around it, there had been massive encroachments on the MC’s land while the authorities looked the other way, he claimed.

“I am astonished that the MC wants to get good suggestions from the public but on the other hand, many people are facing problems due to the negligence of some officers of the corporation,” he remarked.

The Shiv Nagar Colony falls under Ward No 53, which is presently surrounded by a flyover and two railway crossings. Some people have encroached upon the municipal land, having value in crores.

However, corporation officials have closed their eyes. As a result, the locality has no proper way to easy and wide roads to go out.

He said, “We are living and facing too much risk. In the public interest, I moved one file through Cabinet Minister Anil Joshi for restoring the link road towards the main road between Lohgarh Gate to Islamabad. This link road was used by our locality in the beginning. But after the construction of the park on the way of the road, this road has been closed. If the link road was restarted for the locality, it will be helpful in solving one major problem of our locality.”

Deputy Mayor Avinash Jolly assured the residents of the area to take up the problem with the wing concerned of the corporation and resolve it at the earliest.