Six years after its foundation stone was laid, the community centre in Dhakoli still lacks basic amenities.
The local residents said the local municipal council has completely neglected the centre, which resembles a deserted open shed with a roof.
“There is no seating arrangement here. Whenever the local families meet here in the evening, they have to sit on the floor,” said Shiv Kumar, a resident.
He said the washrooms of the centre also remain closed. “Two toilets were built recently, but they remain closed, leaving residents, especially women and children, in the lurch,” he said.
Another resident, Kulbir Singh, said there are no lights in the community centre and no event is conducted here.
The residents also complained that no sports activity takes place in the centre. “The centre also lacks proper drainage system and during rain, it turns into a cesspool,” said Shiv Verma, another local.
Himanshu Shankdhar, president of Wellington Estate, a society adjoining the centre, said they have been maintaining the centre themselves.
“We planted trees in the premises to give it a better look. We also installed a few lights in the park for safety of visitors and got the boundary walls of the centre painted,” he said, adding that several builders had also been contributing money to maintain the centre for a long time.
According to locals, MLA Zirakpur NK Sharma laid the foundation stone of the centre in 2013 and construction work started during the SAD-BJP regime in 2013. It was learnt from a municipal council official that the issue of construction was taken up in a house meeting last year. And as per the plan, the centre was to comprise two rooms, separate toilets for men and women, kitchen and jogging track.
Zirakpur municipal council executive officer SS Sidhu said they are working toward finishing incomplete projects.
“We are maintaining all such centres. This centre will be maintained and renovated soon,” he said.