MULTI-CRORE MINI-SECRETARIAT IN ABOHAR TURNS INTO A ‘WHITE ELEPHANT’

Raj Sadosh/Abohar.

The Mini-Secretariat in Abohar, conceived to provide various administrative services to residents under one roof, now appears to be a victim of political hate and bureaucratic neglect. Left incomplete for the past four years, the deserted building is turning into a den for drug addicts and a site for illicit activities. Despite an expenditure of approximately Rs 8.50 crore, the project remains unfinished.

The project was approved in 2021 with the aim of consolidating facilities from various state government offices into a single complex. The Mini-Secretariat was slated to house the offices of the Revenue and other departments.

The building comprises over 50 rooms. The plan envisaged housing offices for various government departments, thereby sparing residents the hassle of running from place to place for administrative tasks. However, the entire plan stalled after construction work was halted midway.

Reports indicate that while approximately Rs 8.50 crore has been spent on the project so far, the remaining funds were never released, preventing the building’s completion. Consequently, this multi-crore structure stands incomplete and unused.

MLA Sandeep Jakhar said that the Mini-Secretariat was an excellent project designed to provide administrative services to the public in a centralized location. He alleged that the AAP government discriminated against Abohar by failing to release the remaining funds required for the project.

Former Mayor Vimal Thatai added that an additional Rs 10.50 crore was needed to complete the project. Although the Municipal Corporation had repeatedly prepared and submitted cost estimates to the Local Govt Deptt, not a single rupee has been released over the years.