Mohali, Jan. 11 -- The Mohali Municipal Corporation (MC) House on Friday resolved to meet the Punjab local government secretary to seek permission for carrying out long-pending development works in private housing societies, amid allegations by Congress councillors that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government is deliberately stalling approvals. Mayor Amarjit Singh Sidhu alleged that although the MC is empowered under Section 82(3) of the Municipal Act to undertake development works in private societies after obtaining government clearance, approvals are being selectively withheld. He claimed that basic civic works in several private societies have remained pending for years due to the state government's inaction. According to the mayor, private societies including Home Land Society, Pancham Society, Mohali Cooperative Society and Guru Teg Bahadur Society are awaiting approval for essential infrastructure works such as road repairs, park maintenance, drainage, streetlights and sewerage. Sidhu said that after Mohali was upgraded to a municipal corporation in 2021, development works worth crores were carried out in private societies when the Congress was in power. "Since the AAP government came to power, these works have been deliberately stopped despite repeated requests," he alleged. Representatives of several private societies attended the House meeting and appealed to councillors to support the long-pending projects. Sidhu pointed out that even when proposals are passed by the MC House, they fail to move forward due to the lack of clearance from the state government. "Despite repeated letters to the MC commissioner and the Punjab government, permissions have mostly been denied. So far, only one society - Rishi Apartments in Sector 70 - has received approval, and that society falls under an area represented by an AAP councillor," the mayor said, alleging political bias. Congress councillors Manjit Singh Sethi and Rupinder Kaur Reena supported the mayor's claims and proposed that a delegation of councillors meet the Punjab local government secretary to press for approvals. The proposal was subsequently passed by the House. The issue triggered a heated exchange between Congress and AAP councillors during the meeting. AAP members rejected the allegations, asserting that no development work was being intentionally stalled and accused the Congress of politicising the issue to target the ruling party....