7 years on, JIT clears encroachment, paves way for 2nd access to railway station

After seven years of pendency, the Jalandhar Improvement Trust has finally got an encroached land cleared which was meant for the second entry point to Jalandhar City Railway Station.

The reclaimed land was a part of the chunk acquired by the JIT for developing 94.97 acres of Surya Enclave Extension Scheme and had been under illegal occupation since 2018. The land was to be used for creating a second entry point to the railway station and provide ease in travel to residents of Surya Enclave, Surya Enclave Extension, Guru Gobind Singh Scheme, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Scheme, and localities on the other side of PAP Chowk. These residents would now get improved access that they have awaited for years.

Encroachments in the form of slums had blocked plans for a 120-foot-wide road, disconnecting four major housing schemes from the city via the Domoria Bridge. Chairman of JIT Rajwinder Thiara and Jalandhar Central Aam Aadmi Party halqa incharge Nitin Kohli said, “The project had been stalled for years, causing immense inconvenience to residents of surrounding housing societies. The residents had made repeated representations and appeals. Finally, our combined efforts have borne fruit."

On the advantages that the residents in the periphery would get, they said, “The direct connectivity of the residents of those localities to the city shall be restored. To resolve this, the Trust had decided to rehabilitate the affected slum dwellers by offering 1.5 to 2 marla plots in the same scheme on land reserved for multi-storey flats. This rehabilitation effort, pending since 2019, has now been approved under Drawing Resolution No. 29 (Series 2)".

With these clearances and allotments finalising, the long-awaited road can now be constructed, directly linking the city to the Trust’s four major schemes. This also brings long-overdue relief to plot holders waiting since 2011, who will now benefit from full infrastructure and beautification of the area, along with housing support under the resettlement plan.

Another big boost for the area is that the development work across Surya Enclave, Surya Enclave Extension, Guru Gobind Singh Scheme, and Maharaja Ranjit Singh Scheme had come to a halt due to lack of funding over the past 5–6 years. Now, tenders have been invited, and the government is expected to soon pass proposals to resume and complete these projects, ensuring long-pending civic improvements, said Thiara.

Another relief for the residents is that the untreated sewage from the Kishanpura Disposal Plant would not longer be diverted into plots in Surya Enclave and other Trust colonies. The Trust laid down a new sewerage system eight months ago. To fully resolve the issue, the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation has now invited tenders to extend sewer lines up to the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), which is expected to be completed soon, Kohli outlined.

This coordinated push by Kohli and Thiara has not only cleared a crucial infrastructural bottleneck but has also revived long-delayed development across Jalandhar, bringing long-awaited relief and progress to thousands of residents.

Jalandhar