Bus stand at Moga town a victim of political tug-of-war - Hindustan Times
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Bus stand at Moga town a victim of political tug-of-war

Hindustan Times | BySurinder Maan, Moga
Oct 26, 2014 08:48 PM IST

Owing to political interference in mundane affairs, attempts to ease traffic and cut short the increasing number of road accidents in Badhni Kalan under Nihal Singh Wala sub-division, 18 km from district headquarters, came to a naught.

Owing to political interference in mundane affairs, attempts to ease traffic and cut short the increasing number of road accidents in Badhni Kalan under Nihal Singh Wala sub-division, 18 km from district headquarters, came to a naught.

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HT Image

Despite the residents having contributed over rs 5 lakh to construct a new bus stand in the town, work on which started two years ago, due to the political tug-of-war between two groups of the ruling SAD-BJP, the bus stand is lying abandoned at the moment.

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While one group was supporting the shifting of the bus stand to the new location outside the town to ease traffic, the other group wants the bus stand to operate from its old location situated in the center of the town on the Moga-Barnala National Highway-73, claiming it was more convenient for people.

Harried due to the blaring horns of the buses and daily accidents, the residents of Badhni Kalan had earmarked a common land outside the town. As the state government was not forthcoming with funds to raise the bus stand at the new location, the residents contributed rs5 lakh and raised the bus stand.

However, the new stand is now embroiled in politics and sandwiched in the debate are the residents who have no relief even after spending money. To add to the troubles, the bus stand has emerged as the ideal place for slum dwellers to pitch their huts.

Sawrajpal Singh, former president of the Badhni Kalan truck union, said villagers, sports clubs of the surrounding area and some religious bodies had worked hard to raise the level of the place with loose earth.

"We wanted a new and safe bus stand but some local political leaders interrupted the work. We had provided bricks and cement to construct the new shed, but now we feel helpless," he alleged.

On the other hand, Balwinder Singh, former sarpanch of Badhni Kalan (rural) said the panchayat had never passed any resolution about the construction of a new bus stand at the gram panchayat's prime land.


When contacted, Parminder Singh Gill, deputy commissioner of Moga, said "I will ask the sub-divisional magistrate of Nihal Singh Wala to inquire into the matter. The district administration will not allow any encroachment on government land," he said.

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