Mohali, Dec. 27 -- Mohali mayor and Congress leader Amarjit Singh Sidhu has alleged that development works in private housing societies across the city are being deliberately stalled by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government despite repeated requests for approvals. He claimed that while the municipal corporation is empowered under Section 82(3) of the Municipal Act to carry out development works in private societies after government clearance, such approvals are being selectively denied. Sidhu said that several private societies, including Home Land Society, Pancham Society, Mohali Cooperative Society and Guru Teg Bahadur Society, have been awaiting clearances for basic civic infrastructure such as road repairs, park maintenance, drainage systems, streetlights and sewerage works for years. "When Mohali became a municipal corporation in 2021 and the Congress was in power, development works worth crores were executed in all such societies. However, since the AAP came to power, these works have been deliberately stopped," he alleged. The mayor pointed out that despite repeated letters to the municipal corporation commissioner and the state government, approvals have largely been denied. "So far, only one society - Rishi Apartments in Sector 70 - has been granted approval, and that too falls in the area represented by an AAP councillor," Sidhu said, alleging political bias in the decision-making process. Sidhu further accused AAP MLA from Mohali, Kulwant Singh, of obstructing civic works and pressuring officials and contractors. "People claiming to represent the government and the MLA, visit work sites and tell contractors not to carry out any work. They say the MLA has sent them and that work will begin only when permitted," he alleged. He added that even projects with approved work orders are being stalled, calling it an unprecedented interference in the functioning of the municipal corporation. The mayor said such political interference was severely affecting basic civic amenities across the city and urged the state government to stop what he termed as "targeted obstruction" of development works in private societies. Meanwhile, MLA Kulwant Singh refuted the allegations and said, "The Congress mayor and councillors are making wrong allegations and targeting opposition as civic body elections are near. Instead of pinning false allegations on me and AAP, the mayor should bring in proof. The Congress-mayor led MC has done nothing in the last five years and with their term coming to an end, they are misleading the city people. The people of Punjab can clearly see and support AAP's governance and the development we are bringing in the state."...