LUDHIANA: Raising questions over the first
smart market to be developed by municipal corporation, an
RTI activist has submitted a complaint with the principal secretary of department of water resources for looking into the matter because the land belongs to irrigation department. The MC was supposed to construct around 250 shops under southern bypass near BRS Nagar flyover on Sidhwan Canal street but due to certain complaints the construction work was stopped by the department. It had come to light that MC did not procure NOC from irrigation department and no building plan was approved for the construction of the several shops.
In the complaint of RTI activist Kuldeep Khaira, it was mentioned that in November 2016 MC had sought NOC from irrigation department for usage of irrigation department’s land under BRS Nagar flyover of southern bypass for developing a smart vending zone complying with the Supreme Court directions. The officials of irrigation department sent the proposal for approval of the same on March 6. But, the MC had already started the construction work in the month of January.
Khaira alleged in the RTI that a major part of the income received in form of rent from allottees would go to the private firm, which is going to construct the shops, and MC would receive only license fee and irrigation department would receive mere 15% of LMC income and would have nothing to do with the monthly collection of the private company.
He also mentioned that on February 9, the superintending engineer of Sirhind Canal Circle had also raised legal and technical objections to the proposal sent to him by the executive engineer but within one month this proposal has been sent to higher authorities for approval which also raises question marks.
The RTI requested for an inquiry in the project. Meanwhile, when contacted the MC commissioner Jaskiran Singh said there is nothing fishy in the
smart market project because general house of MC had approved the same and they have also sent their reply to senior officials regarding the concept.
MC officials mentioned that they were hoping the work would resume soon.
