Realpolitik over digging of road by firm at SBS Nagar Colony

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, July 8

Allegations are flying thick and fast over digging by a telecom company in several blocks of Shaheed Bhagat Singh (SBS) Nagar Colony, developed and maintained by the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) on Pakhowal Road.

While an activist of a front organisation of the BJP lodged a complaint with the state government in which he alleged that ‘digging was illegal’, the Congress area councillor rubbished the charges stating that these were false and politically motivated.

Vineet Pal Singh Monga, state secretary, Pradhan Mantri Jankalyankari Yojna Prachar Prasar Abhiyan of the BJP, filed a complaint with the Punjab Chief Minister and the Director General, Punjab Police, demanding criminal and legal action against Jio Digital Fibre, a Reliance Group company, for allegedly laying underground optical fibre cable (OFC) network illegally by digging newly carpeted roads in several parts of the SBS Nagar Colony without seeking any written permission and in connivance with LIT officials and the field staff.

Congress councillor from Ward No. 71 Rupinder Kaur Sandhu asserted that the company had obtained necessary permission from the LIT for erection of poles to hang the OFC and other accessories in blocks D, E, G, H and City Centre area and paid the fee as per rules for this purpose.

“The allegation that newly carpeted road is being dug up for laying cable is absolutely unfounded and baseless. The complaint lodged by the BJP outfit is nothing but a political stunt,” she added.

LIT Executive Engineer Buta Ram also maintained that permission was given to Jio Company for erection of poles at 65 locations in four blocks of the SBS Nagar Colony. The company had deposited a fee of Rs13.5 lakh for this purpose, he added.

“Besides, the company has provided a bank guarantee of Rs6,87,500 against an undertaking that site or surface of roads/streets will be restored to original position within 30 days of the completion of work for the erection of poles,” an LIT official said while adding, “No damage to surface of roads or streets, whatsoever, will be allowed due to the digging work. The company is bound to carry out repairs or do recarpeting at its own cost in case of any such damage.”