4 min readFaridabadUpdated: May 13, 2026 02:06 PM IST
Cracking the whip on civic apathy and sub-standard infrastructure in Faridabad, Union Minister of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar Tuesday directed officials to register FIRs against commercial establishments tapping illegal water connections and ordered the immediate blacklisting of contractors using poor-quality construction materials.
Chairing the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting at the Mini Secretariat, Gurjar reviewed the progress of central and state schemes and issued a slew of strict directives to the district administration and civic bodies.
Sounding a stern warning over the state of civic infrastructure, the Union Minister announced he would personally write to the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) to probe the quality of roads constructed by the Municipal Corporation, Zila Parishad, and Market Committees.
“Compromise on the quality of development work will not be tolerated. If poor quality is found in construction work, strict action will be ensured against both the officials concerned and the contractors,” Gurjar said.
Sources present at the meeting said the Union Minister also took to task the Engineering Wing of the municipal corporation over alleged corruption in plantation work and road construction. He also directed the immediate replacement of broken sewer manhole covers and mandated strict action against errant contractors.
Ballabhgarh MLA and former Haryana minister Mool Chand Sharma also flagged how several roads were dug up and frequently damaged.
The high-level meeting was attended by former MLAs Dhanesh Adlakha (Badkhal constituency); Satish Fagna (NIT 86); and Raghubir Singh Tewatia (Prithla). Top district brass, including Municipal Commissioner Dhirendra Khadgata, district Deputy Commissioner Ayush Sinha, Zila Parishad CEO Shikha, and DCP (Central) Usha Devi, were also present.
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The Indian Express reached out to Union Minister Gurjar and MLA Sharma for a response.
When contacted, Khadgata assured follow-up action. “We are in the process of taking such action and more details will be conveyed soon,” he told The Indian Express Wednesday.
‘Sever illegal water connections’
Gurjar, during the meeting, also took a tough stance on water theft from the Ranney Well project and instructed officials to immediately sever illegal water connections operating at service stations and commercial establishments, ordering FIRs against the offenders.
He further directed the Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA) to scientifically evaluate water distribution to ensure proportional and adequate drinking water across all district zones.
Clear encroachments
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Addressing infrastructural bottlenecks, the Minister pulled up officials regarding the Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department’s road construction along the Agra Canal. He stressed that while the road is necessary, erecting boundary walls that blockade the movement of local residents is unacceptable, adding that the Faridabad district administration will fully assist in clearing legitimate encroachments.
Gurjar also ordered a special anti-encroachment drive along the National Highway, the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, and key city markets. To prevent re-encroachment, he directed authorities to develop green belts on the cleared land.
Drain desilting
With the monsoon approaching, the Minister set a strict deadline for desilting of master drains to prevent waterlogging. On the sanitation front, he directed the Municipal Corporation to issue smaller, localised tenders to streamline daily garbage collection across internal colonies.
During the meeting, Gurjar directed the District Red Cross Society to finalise beneficiary identification and logistical arrangements for the distribution of customised scooters to persons with disabilities on September 17, marking the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
