Road and MC Development Are at Risk.

Road and MC Development Are at Risk Because of BJP’s Failures, Says AAP Chandigarh: AAP

On August 28, Chandigarh:

Reiterating its full support for the city’s road development projects, particularly the improvement of V-3 highways, is the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chandigarh. Citing financial limitations, the party has harshly criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) House for “illegally and undemocratically” passing the plan to transfer 262 km of V-3 roads to the Engineering Department of the UT Administration.

AAP Chandigarh President Vijaypal Singh told reporters at a news conference held Thursday at the party office in Sector 39, Chandigarh, that while the party were not opposed to building V-3 roads, they were unhappy with the way the project was approved. “We want all of Chandigarh’s roads to be of the highest calibre; we are not opposed to them. However, this decision was pushed through without discussion, without project completion schedules, and without an official promise from the administration to restore these roads to the MC. This is destroying democracy, not governance,” Singh stated.

Singh claimed that in order to guarantee that the plan was approved without resistance, marshals were called in to physically remove opposition council members. The democracy of Chandigarh is having a bad day. No provisions for such a transfer of municipal assets are mentioned under Sections 44 and 45 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 (as it applies to Chandigarh). This judgement is illegitimate, as evidenced by the fact that even the UT Law Department has sought clarification on the issue,” he stated.

Manoj Sonkar, a BJP councillor, is accused of using derogatory language against AAP’s former mayor Kuldeep Kumar during talks on GIS-based road sweeping in the southern sectors in the MC House. Kuldeep Kumar reacted calmly after realising that he was being agitated to be ejected from the House. The mayor, however, used marshals under false pretences to physically remove opposition council members Yogesh Dhingra, Damanpreet Singh, Hardeep Singh, Manur, and Ramchander Yadav, as well as female council members Jaswinder Kaur, Suman, Anju Katiyar, and Prem Lata, causing chaos within the House when this did not appease the BJP.

Voting was held with just BJP council members present after the AAP and Congress council members were ejected, and the V-3 roads agenda was passed in an undemocratic way. Through the abuse of marshals, the AAP claimed that the BJP was pursuing a secret plot to undermine the Municipal Corporation, conceal its own shortcomings, and silence the elected representatives of Chandigarh.

Therefore, it is crucial to preserve the integrity of the MC, the only democratic institution in the city. The AAP vehemently denounced the BJP’s activities in the House, which aimed to marginalise opposition council members, even though it supports the larger development goals in theory. Singh declared, “Such behaviour is completely undemocratic and unacceptable.”

Singh emphasised the dangers of avoiding the legal system: Accountability: Locals will no longer have direct democratic control over roads if MC relinquishes its fundamental duties. Transparency: Roads are constructed and maintained with public funds; transfers necessitate an appropriate legal framework. Precedent: If more public assets are transferred without a valid reason, this could create a risky precedent.

Singh referred to the resolution as “ultra vires” and unconstitutional, cautioning that it creates a risky precedent for avoiding elected officials. Other municipal assets might be unlawfully transferred to any agency if this keeps up. AAP will contest this ruling in all venues, including courtrooms. “The people of Chandigarh deserve democratic and transparent governance,” he stated.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has authorised a ₹125 crore grant for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC). AAP stressed that the FNCC, which consists of council members from the AAP, Congress, and BJP, should decide how to use these monies for the equitable development of each ward. There is no need to turn over V-3 roads to the UT Engineering Department because the Chandigarh Administration diverted the monies. This sum is enough to revitalise the entire city and address long-standing civic concerns with careful planning and implementation.

Singh came to the conclusion that while the party is still dedicated to Chandigarh’s planned growth, any move to weaken the Municipal Corporation will be met with resistance. “We are fighting against power abuse, corruption, and the weakening of democratic institutions, not against roads. “Only if the administration fortifies the municipal corporation instead of undermining it for political reasons will development be feasible,” he continued. https://riyasatnews.com/?p=5883&preview=true