Eight decades have passed since the country gained independence, and successive governments have likely spent crores of rupees on the maintenance of village streets and drains.
Yet, even today, in many villages, streets and drains remain filled with filthy water, forcing residents to wade through sludge and mud. A similar situation is evident in the village of Qila Lal Singh, located in the Fatehgarh Churian constituency.
Here, residents have been forced to endure a hellish existence for nearly six months.
The village’s main street—which connects various lanes and serves as the primary route to the Gurdwara Sahib—has been in a deplorable state for about six months, yet no action has been taken to address the issue. Information regarding this matter was gathered through conversations with former Sarpanch Om Prakash, former Sarpanch Harjinder Singh, Pragat Singh, Dr. Gagandeep Singh, Manpreet Singh (Lambardar), Lovely Randhawa, Pavitra Randhawa, Pradhan Nirmal Singh Padda, Pragat Singh Gill, Dr. Sukhdev Singh, Dr. Hardev Singh, Gagandeep Singh Gill, Subedar Malvinder Singh, former Panch Harvinder Singh, Deep Lambardar, Atvinder Singh, Master Savinder Singh, Mahendra Singh, and other village residents.
They explained that about six months ago, Dr. Gurditt Singh—son of the village’s current Sarpanch—had the main street dug up to install a sewerage system. This street provides access to hundreds of homes as well as the village’s Government Primary and Middle schools; crucially, the Gurdwara Sahib is also situated along this very street.
It is a place where the village congregation gathers morning and evening to pay their respects. The residents noted that the excavation work was initiated by the Sarpanch’s son to lay the sewerage line. However, after the sewerage work was completed, the street was left in a state of neglect, and no repairs were carried out. Residents stated that even a little rain turns the street so muddy that passing through it becomes extremely difficult.
Devotees visiting the Gurudwara face significant hardships, and schoolchildren are unable to attend school due to the excessive mud.
They remarked that if the street could not be repaired, it should not have been dug up in the first place. They suggested that if Dr. Gurditt Singh is unable to construct the street, the villagers would come together to build it themselves, given its importance as a main thoroughfare. Villagers frequently use the street to reach the Gurudwara for various occasions—both joyous and somber—and everyone faces great inconvenience while traversing it. Yet, despite the passage of a long time, no solution to this problem has been found.
When Dr. Gurditt Singh—son of Jasbir Kaur, the Sarpanch of Qila Lal Singh—was contacted regarding this matter, he stated that he had discussed the issue with constituency in-charge Joban Singh Randhawa and senior officials from the Mandi Board. He added that he had been assured the street would be constructed very soon.
He further mentioned that the Mandi Board had laid a layer of ‘wet mix’ on the street about 15 days ago and that the construction would be fully completed within a week.
