Chandigarh:
The Member of Parliament from Sirsa, former Union Minister and Congress National General Secretary Kumari Selja has written to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, raising several key development issues concerning the Sirsa–Fatehabad–Jind region. A state-level DISHA committee meeting was held on February 11, 2026, which Selja could not attend due to the ongoing Parliament session. Expressing her inability to be present, she sent a letter to the Chief Minister requesting that her public interest suggestions be placed before the committee.
In her letter, Kumari Selja referred to pending issues from the previous meeting and sought an updated progress report on the Indo-Israel Centre of Excellence located in village Mangeana (Sirsa). She also asked that the committee be informed about action taken on the proposal to declare the centre as a regional campus of Maharana Pratap Horticultural University, Karnal. Considering the large number of horticulture farmers in the Sirsa–Fatehabad region, she emphasized the need for additional budget allocation and resources, along with updated progress reports on ongoing development works in the three districts. On railway matters, Kumari Selja expressed concern that although ₹410 crore had been earmarked for the Agroha rail line in a previous Railway Budget, the project finds no mention in the current budget. She urged the DISHA committee to send a support letter to the Railway Ministry, highlighting the project’s significance for faith-based tourism, agricultural trade and regional development, and to seek its early approval. She also demanded the introduction of a new intercity express service on the Sirsa–Meham–Rohtak route following the completion of the Hansi–Meham rail line.
Under national highway projects, she called for the early commencement of the proposed NH-709 (Chautala–Panipat–Meerut), priority approval for NH-703 (Jalandhar–Taranagar via Sirsa), and swift clearance of the Sirsa southern bypass.
Addressing irrigation, environment and health concerns, Kumari Selja stressed the need for a comprehensive plan to permanently resolve waterlogging (seepage) issues in the Sirsa–Fatehabad region. She also demanded a joint Haryana–Punjab investigation into polluted drains flowing into the Ghaggar river and called for the establishment of special cancer treatment centres in Sirsa and Fatehabad in view of rising cancer cases.
On local issues in Sirsa city, she sought early approval of the proposed Railway Overbridge (ROB) at Chattargarh Mini Bypass, priority implementation of the Court Road ROB, and expedited progress in the ongoing sewer works. She further suggested temporarily reopening the old Chattargarh Patti railway crossing to ensure smooth traffic management during ROB and sewer construction. Kumari Selja expressed confidence that the DISHA committee would seriously consider these public welfare suggestions and issue necessary directions to the concerned departments.
