Jalandhar: Construction of police station is incomplete even after 18 years

Jalandhar: The construction of the Nurmahal police station building, which began in 2006, remains incomplete even after 18 years due to administrative hurdles and land transfer issues. Initially, the police station operated in a private building, but with the aim of setting up a permanent structure, residents of the town donated six kanal and 18 marla land and collectively contributed Rs 25 lakh for the construction of the new facility. Despite these efforts, government officials have failed to take necessary steps to complete the project. The land is currently mutated in the name of common owners, preventing its formal transfer to the police department. A proposal to transfer the land to the Punjab Police was unanimously passed by the Nurmahal Municipal Council on June 11, 2012 (Resolution No. 40). However, the proposal was rejected by the Director of Local Government, further hampering the progress. For the past several years, local residents have appealed to successive chief ministers, including Parkash Singh Badal, Captain Amarinder Singh, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Charanjit Singh Channi and the current Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, to approve the proposal. Despite their continuous efforts, the land transfer matter is still unresolved, leaving the police station construction project hanging in the balance. A visit to the site revealed that several critical infrastructure is still missing, including barracks for police personnel, boundary walls, flooring and designated parking area for seized vehicles. The long-standing delay has raised concerns among residents about law enforcement efficiency and overall security in the area. The local community continues to urge the authorities to expedite the land transfer process and ensure the long-pending construction of the Nurmahal police station building.