Punjab CM announces ₹18.57-Crore development package for Phagwara amid tight security
PHAGWARA: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday announced development projects worth ₹18.57 crore for Phagwara while addressing a large gathering during the Aam Aadmi Party’s Lok Milni Programme held at Gandhi Chowk amid unprecedented security arrangements across the city.
The Chief Minister reached Gandhi Chowk in the evening and interacted with residents, party workers and local representatives. In his address, Mann said that the failure of previous governments had compelled Punjab’s youth to migrate abroad in search of employment opportunities. He alleged that successive governments led by the Shiromani Akali Dal and Congress had neglected the welfare of the state and promoted nepotism instead of development. Referring to the drug menace, Mann accused former Akali governments of allowing drugs to spread across Punjab and claimed that the present AAP government had launched the “Yudh Nasheyan Virudh” campaign to eradicate narcotics from the state.
The Chief Minister also highlighted various initiatives undertaken by his government, including uninterrupted power supply to farmers, the establishment of more than 1,000 Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics and the proposed opening of another 400 clinics. He said the government was providing health insurance coverage of up to ₹10 lakh to residents and claimed that efficient water management policies had helped improve groundwater conservation. Stressing Punjab’s tradition of communal harmony, Mann said people of all religions were living together peacefully and accused previous political parties of using religion for political gains.
During his speech, Mann launched sharp attacks on opposition parties, particularly the Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress and BJP. He alleged that certain political leaders had misused religious institutions and attempted to divide society for electoral benefits. He further claimed that Congress was rapidly losing its political base in Punjab and criticised the emerging political equations between the Akali Dal and BJP.
At the conclusion of the programme, the Chief Minister announced a development package of ₹18.57 crore for Phagwara Assembly constituency. The projects include ₹1.20 crore for the installation of five new tubewells, ₹5.91 crore for the improvement of key roads including Pallahi-Hoshiarpur Road, Railway Road and the Sukhchain Nagar-Chandigarh Highway link, ₹5.21 crore for the construction and upgrading of roads connecting Gandwan, Sugar Mill Road, Urban Estate, Dosanjh Kalan, Hargobind Nagar and Chahal Nagar, ₹87 lakh for the Heritage Street project at Gurdwara Sukhchain Sahib, ₹2 crore for the construction of a Rose Garden, ₹2.19 crore for urban street development works, ₹97 lakh for street lighting projects, and additional grants of ₹30 lakh each for development works in Athouli village and other civic improvement projects.
Earlier in the day, Phagwara remained under a heavy security blanket ahead of the Chief Minister’s visit. Police authorities installed barricades at several major entry points and roads, including Gandhi Chowk, Bazaar Bansanwala, Loha Mandi Road, Railway Road and Sarai Road. The restrictions significantly affected normal movement within the city, while many markets witnessed low business activity as shopkeepers complained of reduced customer footfall and traffic disruptions.
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