Residents seek drainage, sewerage, roads and stormwater facilities as Mayor assures efforts to bring unapproved colony under regularised framework
YAMUNANAGAR | PEN OF DEMOCRACY NEWS DESK
Mayor Suman Bahmani, accompanied by Ward 20 councillor Vikram Rana, visited Amarpuri Colony and interacted with residents to take stock of civic issues affecting the area. The visit was conducted in the presence of officials from the Municipal Corporation and Public Health Department, with residents raising concerns related to water drainage, sanitation, sewerage, construction of streets and drains, stormwater lines and other basic infrastructure requirements.
A major demand raised by residents during the visit was the regularisation of Amarpuri Colony. Residents told the Mayor that a large number of families were living in the colony and needed basic civic amenities, including proper sewerage, paved streets, drains, arrangements for water drainage and a stormwater network.
The residents urged the Mayor to take the necessary steps for regularising the colony so that its development could be undertaken in a planned manner and essential infrastructure could be provided in accordance with applicable rules.
Bahmani told residents that Amarpuri Colony was currently an unapproved colony and that efforts were being made to regularise it along with other unapproved colonies in the Municipal Corporation area. She said the civic administration was making efforts to move the regularisation process forward in accordance with the applicable provisions.
The Mayor said regularisation would open the way for planned development in the colony. Once the colony is regularised, she said, the provision of basic infrastructure and execution of various development works would become easier within the applicable regulatory framework.
She said the Municipal Corporation was making efforts to improve civic facilities across all parts of the city. Wherever development work is permissible under the rules, the civic body would make every possible effort to provide residents with essential facilities, she added.
During the interaction, Bahmani explained to residents that the present status of the colony as unapproved limits the Municipal Corporation’s ability to undertake development works in the same manner as it does in regularised colonies. She said residents should therefore understand the regulatory position while the process for regularisation is being pursued.
Residents, however, emphasised that the lack of adequate civic infrastructure was creating difficulties for families living in the area. They specifically highlighted the need for improved sewerage, properly paved internal streets, drains and arrangements to deal with water accumulation during periods of heavy rainfall.
The demand for a stormwater line was also raised as an important requirement. Residents said an effective drainage system was necessary to prevent waterlogging and improve sanitation and living conditions in the colony.
The Mayor listened to the concerns of residents and sought information from the officials present at the site regarding the problems raised by the local community. She directed the concerned officials to take necessary action on issues relating to drainage, sanitation and sewerage wherever immediate intervention was possible within the applicable rules.
Bahmani also assured residents that the process related to regularisation was being pursued according to government regulations. She said efforts were being made to move the matter forward and assured the residents that necessary steps would be taken for regularisation at the earliest possible stage, subject to the prescribed procedure.
The visit provided residents with an opportunity to place several long-standing civic concerns directly before the Mayor and departmental officials. Instead of limiting the discussion to general complaints, the Mayor sought details from the officials present and reviewed the issues concerning drainage, cleanliness and sewerage at the local level.
Councillor Vikram Rana also raised the concerns of Amarpuri Colony residents before the officials and sought early action on the problems. He supported the residents’ demand for better basic infrastructure and regularisation of the colony.
The regularisation issue has particular significance for residents because the status of a colony can determine the extent to which civic infrastructure and planned development can be undertaken through the Municipal Corporation. Residents believe that formal regularisation would provide a clearer framework for developing roads, drains, sewerage systems, stormwater infrastructure and other basic amenities.
The Mayor said the Municipal Corporation’s broader objective was to ensure better civic facilities for residents across the city. She said the administration was working on development-related issues in different areas and would continue to address public concerns within the legal and regulatory framework.
The focus on Amarpuri Colony also comes as residents in several unapproved colonies continue to seek regularisation and improved civic infrastructure. For families living in such areas, basic services such as drainage, sanitation, sewerage and properly constructed streets remain closely linked to the broader process of planned urban development.
During the visit, officials from the Municipal Corporation and Public Health Department assessed the issues raised by residents. Assistant Engineer Surendra Dahiya of the Municipal Corporation and other officials from the Public Health Department were present, along with local residents.
The Mayor’s visit was intended to provide a direct assessment of the problems and facilitate coordination between the civic and public health authorities. Drainage, sewerage and sanitation-related complaints require coordination between departments, and officials were asked to examine the issues and take appropriate action.
Residents also stressed that the colony’s growing population made the need for proper infrastructure more urgent. They said families require reliable basic services and planned development to improve living conditions.
Bahmani reiterated that the Municipal Corporation would continue working towards providing better facilities in areas where development works are permissible under the rules. She said the regularisation process for Amarpuri Colony would continue in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
The Mayor’s assurance has raised expectations among residents that the colony’s regularisation process will move forward and eventually provide a stronger foundation for planned civic development.
For now, residents will continue to await progress on the regularisation process while seeking immediate attention to drainage, sanitation and sewerage problems. The civic administration has indicated that issues that can be addressed within the existing regulatory framework will be examined and acted upon.
The visit concluded with the Mayor and officials taking note of the residents’ concerns and reiterating the administration’s focus on improving civic infrastructure and ensuring that development reaches different parts of the city in accordance with established rules.
POD/DESK
