Chandigarh:Punjab AAP MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa on Monday, in the state assembly, raised the issue of damage of link roads in the Derabassi assembly constituency following the closure of the Shambhu border and sought from the state government to get them repaired.
However, Punjab Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian assured the party MLA that these damaged roads will be repaired. Khuddian pointed out that due to the closure of the Shambhu border, the traffic has shifted to the concerned link roads of the Punjab Mandi Board SAS Nagar, resulting in the deterioration of these roads.
"These roads will be repaired with the approval of competent authority," said Khuddian in response to Randhawa's question who said that people in his constituency were facing problems because of the damaged roads.
Notably, farmers under the banner of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to press the government to accept their various demands which include that the Centre should give a legal guarantee for MSP for crops.
The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu (Shambhu-Ambala) and Khanauri (Sangrur-Jind) border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year when their march was stopped by the security forces.
During the Question Hour on the first day of the two-day special session that began on Monday, Derabassi MLA Randhawa said many roads in his constituency have got damaged because of the closure of the Shambhu border. "No road remains at all in 26 villages. There are big potholes there which need to be repaired," he said.
"When Shambhu border was closed and farmers sat there, the entire pressure (of traffic) came into Derabassi," he said. The roads, the condition of which got deteriorated included Ambala Chandigarh road to Dangdera via Sarsini NH 22 to railway line, Nimbuan Barwala road to Haryana border, Ambala Karala up to Ghaggar, Malakpur to Samgauli to Haryana border and Jhajjon to Tiwana (in Rajpura).
The MLA also said that a large number of devotees go to historic gurdwara Panjokhara Sahib (in Haryana's Ambala) every day. He demanded that the road stretch in Derabassi which leads to the gurdwara should be widened.
