PHAGWARA, MAY 5 — Local authorities have accelerated infrastructure repairs and security protocols in anticipation of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s ‘Shukrana Yatra’ scheduled for Wednesday. The administration shifted into high gear following the announcement of a brief stopover near Gandhi Chowk on the Phagwara-Banga road.
Kapurthala Deputy Commissioner Akash Bansal and SSP Gaurav Tura conducted a field inspection to oversee the final arrangements. Notably, the Phagwara-Banga road, which had remained in a state of disrepair for months, underwent rapid restoration on Tuesday evening. Workers were seen filling deep potholes that residents stated had previously posed a significant danger to commuters and two-wheeler operators.
“The work which was pending for months is being completed overnight due to the Chief Minister’s visit,” a local resident noted, reflecting a sentiment shared by many in the area regarding the sudden administrative agility.
In addition to the physical preparations, the Deputy Commissioner convened a meeting with department heads at the SDM office to finalize the logistical framework. During this session, representatives from various Dalit organizations, led by Dharamvir Sethi, submitted a formal memorandum. The group expressed dissatisfaction with certain terminology used in census-related documentation and urged the administration to address their grievances with greater sensitivity.
While the city has seen a transformation in recent hours, many residents affirmed that such maintenance should be a routine part of governance rather than a reaction to VIP movements. They maintained that persistent issues like illegal encroachments and dilapidated infrastructure require year-round attention from the municipal authorities.
