As Sukhbir arrives for launching new projects, Khangura asks what happened to earlier ones - 03/10/2010

LUDHIANA, October 3: As Sukhbir Badal laid down the foundation stone for another slew of dubious projects at Sahnewal today, the Qila Raipur MLA Jassi Khangura asked him as what happened to the earlier projects for which he had also laid down numerous foundation stones in similar high profile manner amidst hype and media blitz.

Recounting the numerous development projects promised by Sukhbir Badal to the people of Ludhiana, Khangura reminded him, “you promised metro, you promised AC city bus service, you promised expressways, you promised round the clock electricity, you promised to make Ludhiana fifth metro of the country and you promised to make Ludhiana like Paris, but you have not kept a single promise so far”.

Referring to earlier projects for which Sukhbir had laid foundation stones, Khangura asked the status of those projects whether any of these had been completed or  whether the work was in progress on any of these and whether any of these projects had been started. “Sukhbir has the habit of laying down the foundation stones and forgetting it the very next moment and at times laying the foundation stone a second time for the same project”, he observed, while pointing out, this government is in power for nearly four years now and it has not completed even a single project it had promised.

The Qila Raipur MLA said, what to speak of making Ludhiana a fifth metro, it seems to have turned into “filth metro” with garbage littered around everywhere. The traffic jams are the norm of the day and power cuts a routine and Sukhbir wants to make everybody believe that Ludhiana is the best city to do business in Punjab. “If this is the best city, the state has no future under the current regime”.

Listing the failed promises of Sukhbir, Khangura said, he promised AC city bus services and is nowhere in sight, he promised to clean Budha Nullah but it remains as polluted as ever despite massive grants from the centre, he promised expressways but the city roads continue to remain choked and much more. He regretted, “this government could not even continue with the work on the railway overbridge near Clock Tower as ongoing work was stopped, so how can we expect better or new projects from it”.

Sukhbir, the MLA said, seems to have developed a fascination for laying down foundation stones to preserve his memories as in the next elections he is sure and certain to be consigned to history. He asked, what is the guarantee that these new foundation stones do not represent yet another series of false promises, blatant mistruths and dodgy mismanagement?