Haryana: Construction & infra issues dominate in Winter session
Chandigarh: Construction and infrastructure issues dominated the Haryana Vidhan Sabha’s Winter session this year, with nearly half of the starred questions reflecting legislators’ concerns over delays, incomplete projects and the condition of public facilities across the state. Of the 60 starred questions taken up in the House, about 46.6 per cent related to ongoing construction works or areas requiring renovation or fresh development.
Government replies offered detailed status updates on a range of projects, including sports infrastructure, educational institutions and traffic-related works. However, while clear timelines were provided in some cases, many responses left completion dates uncertain. In several instances, the government said projects would be completed within a stipulated period, but only after the actual start of work, which itself remained undecided.
Replying to a question by Hisar MLA and businesswoman Savitri Jindal on the condition of Mahavir Stadium, Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam said the athletic track was currently unsuitable for practice due to waterlogging, though facilities for lawn tennis, handball, badminton, wrestling and volleyball were functional. He informed the House that the Public Works (Buildings and Roads) Department had submitted a rough cost estimate of Rs 2,150.90 lakh for constructing a synthetic athletic track, procuring sports equipment, and carrying out electrical and other civil works at the stadium. The proposal is under consideration, he said, adding that a timeline could only be committed after administrative approval and receipt of tenders.
Delays in educational infrastructure were another major issue. In response to a question by MLA Bhagwan Dass (Nilokheri) regarding the construction of a Government College sanctioned in 2021 at a cost of Rs 1,652.18 lakh, the government admitted the project was incomplete. While it said the work would be finished within eight months from the start date, no clarity was given on when construction would begin.
Higher Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda later stated that, according to the Public Works Department (B&R), part of the work had been completed by October 29. He added that administrative approval of Rs 500.50 lakh had been issued and re-tendering would be carried out within three months, after which the remaining work was expected to be completed within eight months of commencement.
Urban infrastructure concerns were also highlighted. On traffic congestion caused by frequent closure of two railway crossings on the Dabra Chowk–Nirankari Bhawan Road, the government said construction of road overbridges would require Railway approval, making it impossible to provide a definite timeline.
