Eight years on, PSIEC apathy holds back building plans of plot owners at Mehta Road, Vallah
Archna Matharu archna.matharu@gmail.com ( ) We hail from the middle class and have invested our lifetime savings in buying the land to own our dream house.
DR FULBAG SINGH Lecturer, GNDU
I had purchased land at the focal point with dreams to construct my house and had even taken loan for the same.
But now, when I am nearing my retirement age, I have no place to go,” says Dr Vikram Chadha, a professor in the department of Economics at Guru Nanak Dev University.
Dr Chadha is one of the hundreds of people who had purchased land for constructing a dream house at Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC)-promoted residential-cum-industrial focal point scheme at Mehta Road, Vallah. But unfortunately, their plan of constructing the dream home has been hanging in the doldrums for the past nearly eight years.
As per the scheme, out of 525 acres of land, 275 comprise residential plots, which were to be developed with a school, hospital as well as parks meant for children. PSIEC had offered allotment of the above plots in 2001. But sadly, the initiation of work at the above scheme is hanging fire since then.
FATE HANGS IN BALANCE For the past eight years, the plot owners have not been able to place even a brick at their purchased plots as they are facing difficulties in getting their house maps approved from a competent authority. Due to this, while on one hand the construction work of their houses cannot commence, on the other hand the amount of money that they have spent on purchasing the land is also stuck.
“As per the terms and conditions laid down by PSIEC at the time of allotment, we were supposed to construct our houses in a time period of three years.
Ever since, we got our allotment documents, we have been trying to get our building plans cleared. However, we have been running from pillar to post without any authority directing us the right way,” says Dr Chadha.
NO ONE OWNS UP Sharing the plight of the plot owners, Dr Ravi Shankar, another plot owner, says, “We had approached the Municipal Corporation a couple of years later, but they informed us that since the colony has been promoted by PSIEC, the corporation cannot approve the plans.
Later, when we approached PSIEC, we were told to go to Punjab Urban planning and Development Authority (PUDA), who also gave us a similar reply.”
With a lackadaisical approach by the agencies, it is ultimately the plot owners who are at the receiving end. Till the time their building plans are not approved, they cannot undertake any construction activity on their land. Moreover, most important, they are unsure regarding whom to approach for the sanction.
“We hail from the middle class, who have invested our lifetime saving in buying the land to own our dream house. Besides, we had chosen this colony supposing that being a government body, we would not have to face any hassles. But regrettably, years have passed now and our sufferings have no end,” says Dr Fulbag Singh, lecturer in the department of Commerce and Business Management at GNDU and who owns a plot in the colony.
MINUS BASIC FACILITIES Lack of developmental work in the area is another cause of concern for these buyers. Since no construction has taken place in the area for the past eight years, the entire stretch lies completely barren.
The area, moreover, lacks basic facilities like water supply and electricity connections.
And the roads are too in shambles. “At present, the area completely lacks development. Even the demarcation of plots has not been done. Besides, basic facilities like water and electricity are not available. Till the time our building plans are not approved, we cannot get these facilities,” says Dr Fulbag Singh. DEVELOPMENT REASSURED PSIEC Chairman Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina, when contacted, assured that efforts were being made to solve the problems being faced by the plot owners. “I had a word with State Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia regarding the same and asked him to authorise PSIEC to pass the building plans for the area. He gave us an assurance that the problem would be solved at the earliest,” Chhina said.
Elaborating further regarding the development problems in the area, Chhina said, “I had inquired from the people of the department regarding the development issues. They told me that when the scheme was initiated, basic arrangements were made. Water pipes were laid and even roads were constructed at that point of time. But unfortunately, no work has been done in the past eight years,” Chhina accepts.
DISGRUNTLED OWNERS PUT UP PLEA The plot owners had sent a representation to Kalia and Chhina nearly two months ago.
“This is most unfortunate that we, who were allotted plots in the scheme which we could buy with our precious little life time savings at that time (now about eight years back), have not only lost interest in our deposited money with PSIEC, but fear that we may not be able to construct our houses after retirement. The very thought is very discomforting and a hardship for ordinary citizens,” the letter said.
Addressing Chhina, the letter said, “Since you have taken up the reins of PSIEC, you can effectively benefit your own people and Amritsaris by initiating development work at the scheme and clear up hurdles for allowing construction to the plot owners.”
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