Derabassi Assembly constituency in Mohali district is marred by unplanned growth and traffic jams. With the Assembly elections just one month away, residents complain the problems they faced five years ago still continue to plague the area. The political leaders have done nothing to solve them. The situation is the worst at Zirakpur where traffic jams have become common. Zirakpur-Patiala road is among the most traffic jam-prone area where vehicles remain stranded for the most part of the day, especially during peak hours. Jasbir Singh, a resident of Adda Jhungian village near Zirakpur, said that the flyover which had been constructed around 10 years ago in the town was of no use as there is no respite from traffic jams. “Elections come and go but issues remain the same," Jasbir said. "If the politicians are again talking about the same issues which were there five years ago, what is the use of voting for them?” Rajesh Kumar, a lawyer who lives at Baltana, said that apart from the traffic jams, the unplanned growth at Derabassi and Zirakpur was another big issue that had not been taken care of by the politicians. “There have been hundreds of property frauds in the area. More than 300 colonies of different sizes have come up at Derabassi and Zirakpur towns. People must vote for the candidate who can ensure a solution to this problem,” he added. Sukhdev Chaudhary, the president of Joint Action Committee of Residents Welfare Associations (JAC), Zirakpur, said that due to the unplanned growth, the city has been witnessing the issues of traffic jams and waterlogging. “This time we will question the candidates on these issues,” he added.
