Jalandhar 4 November : Residents of Udham Singh Nagar in Ward No. 65, Jalandhar, staged a protest against councillor’s husband Vijay Bansal, burning his effigy and raising concerns over the alleged delay and obstruction of development work in the area.
During the protest, residents alleged that despite repeatedly approaching the councillor’s husband with complaints about local issues, their concerns had not been adequately addressed. They claimed that development projects were being taken up with the support of Mayor Vineet Dhir and area in-charge Nitin Kohli, but alleged that Vijay Bansal was creating hurdles in getting the work completed.
One of the protesters, Gurmeet Dhawan, appreciated the efforts of the Mayor and the area in-charge, particularly for converting a garbage dumping site, which had reportedly existed for nearly 20 years, into a park. However, he alleged that several civic issues in the locality remained unresolved. Dhawan also claimed that he had personally spent ₹16,700 on certain development-related works in the area.
Other residents, including Balwinder and Raj Kumar, also raised allegations concerning the progress of development work and the handling of local civic issues. They warned that the protest could be intensified if their grievances were not addressed.
The protesters appealed to Nitin Kohli to arrange a meeting between Vijay Bansal and local residents so that the issues could be discussed and a solution could be found. They demanded that the concerns of people living in the ward be taken seriously.
Responding to the allegations, Vijay Bansal said that he was currently out of the city and described the claims made by the protesters as baseless. He maintained that development work had been carried out in the area and that efforts to improve local infrastructure were continuing.
The protest has brought attention to the residents’ concerns over civic facilities and development in Ward 65. While the protesters have called for accountability and action, Vijay Bansal has rejected their allegations. The matter highlights the need for communication between local representatives and residents to resolve neighbourhood issues.
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