Proposed conversion of residential area into commercial slammed, ET RealEstate
LUDHIANA:The recent proposal to convert another area in the city from residential to commercial has not gone down well with residents and activists.
Recently, MLA Gurpreet Gogi recommended conversion of a road in Sarabha Nagar towards the gurdwara into a commercial one as many commercial activities were going on here.
The MLA made the recommendation after owners of the commercial properties approached him. However, residents of adjoining streets and lanes fear that it will damage the original plan of the area.
They rued that it was a residential area and a designated market had been set up for commercial activities but civic officials were allowing commercial activities illegally.
Col (retd) J S Gill, a resident of BRS Nagar and former member of the Buddha Dariya Rejuvenation project, wrote a letter to chief minister Bhagwant Mann on the issue. He said that a few people approached the MLA without paying attention to the environment and the MLA also recommended the demand to the MC Commissioner.
Gill complained that no thought has been given to the mental well-being of senior citizens and residents, who bought plots in these government-planned residential colonies thinking that they would be peaceful and quiet.
Sarabha Nagar resident and businessman Rahul Verma pointed out that main roads in Sarabha Nagar had been declared commercial and residents were facing traffic issues due to less parking space. He also said that the market in Sarabha Nagar had suffered losses due to commercialisation of residential areas.
A senior MC official said, “The proposal has been sent to the government for approval and action will be taken after receiving directions.”
Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) had developed Sarabha Nagar like other residential schemes and the area was given back to the MC for maintenance. LIT has also questioned deviation of the original plan by the civic body. LIT officials also wrote to the MC, asking it to take NoC before issuing building plans in their scheme areas.
