JALANDHAR CENTRAL: Heart of city feels left out

Deepkamal Kaur

Jalandhar Central, as the name suggests, is the Assembly segment which lies in the heart of the city. It is expected to boast of the best of amenities, but the reality is otherwise. Common civic problems are far more pronounced here.

There is hardly anything in the name of smart city. Except for some wall graffiti around BMC Chowk or PAP Chowk, there is hardly anything which can be shown as development work accomplished in the past almost five years.

A rail over-bridge for a better connectivity of Ladhewali area was started by the PWD Department a few months ago, but barely 25 per cent of the work is completed yet. Open sewage pond spread on 4 acres in the Surya Enclave area has become residents’ bane. Nearly 6,500 residents of Old Jawahar Nagar have been complaining of water shortage for long. The constituency is also marred by the same old problems of streetlights and bad roads.

Area MLA Rajinder Beri however, claims upgrading the government school at Chugitti as a fully AC school besides developing new parks in Chugitti and Chohakan. He also claims starting the repair of Dhilwan road, but the Opposition slams him for doing too little, too late.

Past trend

The Congress and BJP have won four times each in the past eight polls. The Congress was victorious in 2017, 2002, 1992 and 1980. BJP’s Manoranjan Kalia won in 2012, 2007, 1997 and 1985. His father became an MLA on JNP ticket in 1977.

Electorate strength

Total voters: 1,66,719

Male: 86,599

Female: 80,113

Third gender: 7

Locals’ key demands

• Major development work
• Solution to open sewerage
• Adequate water supply
• Better streetlights, roads