MLAs’ query on violations in bus queue shelters left MC officials tight-lipped
Thursday, 21/01/2016
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Ludhiana : The issue of violating norms in the construction of bus queue shelters and outdoor advertisement policy rocked the meeting of Vigilance and Monitoring Committee (VMC) on urban development on Wednesday. The Congress and Independent MLAs raised the questions over the issues but the officials of Municipal Corporation (MC) remained tightlipped during the meeting. MLAs also showed the photographs of violations in the construction of bus queue shelters during the meeting, but failed to solicit any reaction from the MC officials.
Though the issue of bus queue shelters was not included in the agenda of VMC meeting, considering the importance of the matter the district MLAs raised the issue during the meeting. The chairman of the committee and local MP Ravneet Singh Bittu asked the members of sub-committee to examine the matter and submit report to him. Deputy Leader of Congress party in the Vidhan Sabha and MLA from Ludhiana West constituency Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that MC has benefited the company, which caused huge loss to the public exchequer.
“The civic body has paid Rs 1.5 crore to Mudra company to design the bus queue shelters but the advertisement company ignored the design in the construction of bus queue shelters,” said Ashu. He further said that the Greenline Advertisement company has constructed the bus shelters on the roads where there are no bus shelters. “The violations by the company were made in the front of MC Commissioner house but even then the MC officials closed their eyes,” he said. Independent MLA Balwinder Singh Bains said the shelters were constructed on roads and footpaths but the MC officials have not taken any action. Bains said the company had earned several crores by violating bylaws of the state’s outdoor advertisement policy. “The advertisements were installed before the completion of construction of bus queue shelters which shows that the main objective of the company is to earn money from advertisements rather than providing space for people in shelters,” he said. MC Commissioner G K Singh said that they will look into the matter.
