Former minister slams AAP govt after advertisement did not mention reduced enhancement in price of Mohali plots

According to the former minister, a decision to reduce rates from Rs 3,164 per square metre to Rs 2,325 per square metre, was taken during a high-level meeting attended by the Chief Administrator of GMADA, the Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, the Chief Secretary of Punjab, several senior IAS officers and the local MLA himself.

“If a decision was taken in the presence of such senior officers, then why are people being betrayed today,” the former minister asked.

He further stated that the committee constituted for the purpose included senior IAS officers, secretaries from the Water Supply, Industries and Commerce departments, Additional Chief Secretary Manveer Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal, and then Chief Administrator GMADA Vishesh Sarangal.

“Despite the presence of all these officers, the non-implementation of the decision amounts to a complete breach of public trust,” Sidhu said.

The former minister said that several municipal councillors of the Aam Aadmi Party had also taken up the issue and assured the affected people that the entire amount would be waived, but nothing has been materialised so far. He demanded a thorough inquiry to bring clarity and to determine “who is lying to the MLA, the government, or whether the entire process itself was misleading.”

Sidhu claimed that nearly 4,000 plot allottees have been affected by the issue, causing hardship to thousands of families. He also questioned the logic behind issuing a fresh newspaper notice now, calling it “sheer injustice”.

Responding to the allegations, Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh said that the matter is yet to be placed before the Cabinet. “The copies circulating are only related to the proceedings,” the MLA claimed.

He clarified that “once the Cabinet approves the decision, the rates will be reduced in the same manner as they were decided”.

The MLA also explained that the advertisement published in newspapers was only meant for “address verification” so that anyone who has changed their address can inform the authorities. “Since the notification will be issued only after the Cabinet meeting, the rate of Rs 3,164 as mentioned in the advertisement for now, will be reduced accordingly in the final notification,” he said.

At present, the affected residents continue to wait for clear answers and concrete action, while the issue remains a subject of intense political and administrative debate in Mohali.