Road project delayed, MLA Nagra cries foul
Wednesday, 20/01/2016
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FATEHGARH SAHIB: Local Congress MLA Kuljit Nagra on Tuesday slammed the government for delaying the foundation stonelaying ceremony of a road project from Tarkhan Majra of Fatehgarh Sahib to Bhadson in Patiala district, calling the move “unconstitutional”
“As all the funds have been released by the Centre and tender work is already done, there is no point in delaying the work for the `48-crore road project,” Nagra said.
The project was scheduled to start on Wednesday and the foundation stone was to be laid by cabinet minister Sohan Singh Thandal.
Public works department (PWD) engineer RP Singh confirmed on Monday that the project was delayed as per orders from higher authorities and said the foundation stone would be laid later. However, he did not give a specific date in this regard.
‘GOT PROJECT APPROVED, NOT GETTING CREDIT’
Nagra also expressed displeasure that even as he got the project approved under the Central Road Fund (CRF) and announced it in September last year, he did not get the credit for it. “I got this project approved, which involves construction of road from Tarkhan Majra to Bhadson and bridges on two canals passing through, However, my name is not mentioned on the foundation stone,” he said.
Reacting to this, RP Singh said, “Inviting an MLA for the foundation stone-laying ceremony or mentioning his name on the stone is not in our hands. We go by the instructions from higher authorities.”
NAGRA THREATENS PROTEST
Meanwhile, Nagra threatened of staging a protest for neglecting him in this context. “I don’t know why they delayed the project and ignored me with regard to its now-delayed inaugural ceremony. The project was supposed to start on January 20 and I will not let them delay it,” he said.
“I will wait for one more day. I will launch a protest against the delaying of the road project if it is not started by Thursday,” he warned.
Nagra also threatened of laying the foundation stone himself if it was not started by Thursday. “If the contractor does not start work after the inauguration, we will take legal action,” he added.
