Says the Corporation has respected public opinion by passing the resolution again
“Residents coming under the Corporation’s jurisdiction will now get urban-level facilities”
Punjab Newsline, SAS Nagar-
Senior Congress leader and former Health Minister of Punjab, Balbir Singh Sidhu, has welcomed the Mohali Municipal Corporation’s move to re-pass the resolution to include Balongi, Badmajra, and TDI areas within the Corporation limits. He has urged the State Government to respect public sentiment and immediately approve this resolution by issuing a notification to formally include these areas in the Corporation.
In a press statement issued today, Sidhu said that based on the resolution passed by the Municipal Corporation in 2021, the then Congress Government had promptly initiated the process by issuing a notification inviting objections regarding the proposed boundary expansion. However, the process came to a halt due to the imposition of the election code of conduct. He stated that the AAP Government, instead of taking timely action on this crucial issue, kept it pending for three years, forcing the residents to approach the court for relief. After court directions compelled the government to act, it issued an incomplete notification — excluding Balongi, Badmajra, and TDI from the expansion proposal.
The Congress leader further mentioned that in 2021, along with the Municipal Corporation, the panchayats of Badmajra and Balongi had also passed resolutions supporting the inclusion of their villages in the Corporation. He added that all Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) of private developers — particularly those from TDI — had also demanded inclusion within the Municipal Corporation to ensure better civic amenities.
Sidhu accused the local MLA Kulwant Singh of acting out of personal, business, and political interests, alleging that he first deliberately delayed the matter for three years, and later, when the AAP Government was compelled to act upon court orders, ensured the exclusion of Balongi, Badmajra, and TDI from the Corporation’s jurisdiction, thereby disrespecting public opinion.
The Congress leader said that once these areas come under the Municipal Corporation’s jurisdiction, they will witness comprehensive development, and residents will gain access to all urban-level amenities. He added that since the panchayats and local organizations of these areas have already passed resolutions in favor of inclusion and sent them to the government, it is now the government’s duty to approve this rightful demand.