Mohali, May 30 -- The Zirakpur municipal council will be upgraded to corporation status, Punjab local government minister Dr Ravjot Singh announced during an early morning visit to Zirakpur on Wednesday. He asked local MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa to submit a formal proposal through the municipal council to the department of local government to expedite the process. The minister confirmed that the transition will be implemented through the upcoming MC elections. MLA Randhawa said the proposal will be submitted to the department within two weeks. Home to around 3 lakh people, Zirakpur has 31 wards. The local municipal council was formed in 2000 and saw its first elections in 2003, when NK Sharma of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) became its president. The last elections of the 31-member MC were held in April 2021, with the Congress winning 23 seats and the SAD eight. Later, 13 Congress councillors joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In June 2024, these 13 councillors, together with the eight SAD councillors, moved a no-confidence motion against president Udayvir Singh Dhillon after he lost the majority support, leaving the council staring at fresh elections. Surrounded by planned cities Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, Zirakpur has seen haphazard growth, with villages giving way to colonies, mostly illegal, as property dealers and colonisers tapped into people who couldn't afford a house in the pricey neighbouring cities. After more than a decade of unplanned development, the city finally got a master plan in 2009. But before its implementation could begin, the town's population exploded by 282% between 2001 and 2011. During his visit, the minister expressed concern over the choked Sukhna Choe. He directed the municipal council to take immediate measures to clean it with the help of the drainage department before monsoon. He also urged residents not to dump waste in the choe, which could cause floods by blocking the flow. The minister announced that a high-level bridge on Sukhna Choe at Baltana, costing Rs.5.96 crore, is planned to ease overflow during monsoon when the choe swells. He inspected Old Kalka Road and Dhakauli, reviewing cleanliness operations and instructing local body officials to hire extra manpower for complete cleaning of the city. He noted that the unsightly appearance of roads and streets is not a good sign for the community. Additionally, he inspected the Furniture Market area of Baltana. The minister also assured the introduction of reforms to reduce traffic congestion in Zirakpur. Regarding upcoming sewage treatment plants (STPs), the minister stated that two STPs, one of 47 MLD (million litres daily) and another of 37 MLD, are being installed soon. The site for the 47 MLD plant has been identified at Sanauli and handed over to the Water Supply and Sewerage Board, while site selection for the 37 MLD plant is underway and will be finalised shortly. After MLA Randhawa raised the issue of storm sewers from Panchkula causing trouble in the Peer Muchhalla area, Dr Ravjot Singh directed the local government department to take up the matter with the authorities concerned in Haryana to resolve it promptly. Interacting with mediapersons, the minister reaffirmed his commitment to providing required civic amenities to the urban population of Punjab. He stated as per the directions of Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, the state government was keen to address the problems faced by residents, and the responsibility of local officers will be fixed in case of any laxity. He emphasised that officers were duty-bound towards the locals and must spend a few hours from their daily duty to take stock of ground realities....