Basera Project: From Ambitious Initiative to Symbol of Neglect and Corruption
Once envisioned as a transformative initiative to provide shelter to 750 families displaced by Partition, the Basera project has now become a glaring example of bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, and negligence. Instead of offering secure housing, the site has deteriorated into a hub for drug addicts and anti-social elements.
Project Stalled Amid Structural and Safety Concerns
According to Avtar Singh, Executive Officer of the Rajpura Municipal Council, of the 42 planned residential towers, only 34 were constructed, with a structural safety audit conducted on seven towers by a team from Ludhiana’s Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College (GNDEC). The report is still awaited. Meanwhile, the colony remains in a state of disrepair, with poor road conditions, broken infrastructure, and a lack of streetlights, making it unsafe for residents. Recently, Rajpura SDM Avikesh Gupta sought an updated status report on the project.
Vigilance Probe Ordered, But No Action Taken
After coming to power in 2022, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann ordered a Vigilance probe into the alleged corruption in the execution of the project. Sources indicate that a sealed report was submitted to the government, but no action has been taken so far, leaving the fate of the project uncertain.
Families Living in Dire Conditions
Currently, 16 families reside in semi-constructed apartments, struggling with safety concerns and a lack of basic amenities.
Chander Kanta (69), one of the residents, expressed her frustration, saying, "We are living in hellish conditions. There is no maintenance, and we often have to clean the area ourselves. Occasionally, a local leader sends sweepers out of pity. Without streetlights, this place becomes a haven for anti-social elements at night." She mentioned that her apartment was allotted through a draw of lots.
Long History of Delays and Corruption
The Basera project was launched in 2008 during the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP regime to rehabilitate families residing in the Ashram area near the courts complex. Initially managed by the PAPSU Township Development Board, it was later transferred to the Rajpura Municipal Corporation (MC).
The project’s estimated cost of ₹21 crore has since ballooned to ₹70 crore due to repeated delays and alleged financial mismanagement.
Political Allegations and Future Plans
Narinder Shastri, president of the Rajpura MC, stated that corruption has plagued the project since its inception. He recalled that former CM Parkash Singh Badal had ordered a Vigilance inquiry following complaints of substandard construction materials. His successor, Amarinder Singh, also launched another investigation during the Congress tenure.
Shastri added that the 16 families currently living in the incomplete apartments would be relocated to another site, while those occupying the flats illegally would be evicted.
Despite multiple investigations and government interventions, the Basera project remains a testament to failed governance, leaving its intended beneficiaries stranded in unsafe and unlivable conditions. Whether the current administration will take concrete action to salvage the initiative remains to be seen.
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