BMC building entrance painted in saffron

BAREILLY: Days before BJP’s Umesh Gautam is sworn in as mayor, Bareilly Municipal Corporation (BMC) has initiated a move to paint the main entrance of the civic body in saffron colour. Some road repairing work will also be undertaken ahead of the oath-taking ceremony, scheduled on December 12 at Bareilly Club ground.Officials said the corporation has not received any written government order to this effect. Speaking with TOI, municipal commissioner Rajesh Shrivastava said, “The colour of the nagar nigam’s building keeps changing from time to time. We have not received any government order in this regard and this is just being done on our level. Only the boundary walls and main entrance have been painted in saffron colour but the rest of the building’s colour will remain as it is.”He said the choice of colour has nothing to do with the fact that BJP is in power. “We just had to renovate the building and this is just being done to give a warm welcome to our new mayor. Some road maintenance work will also be done in front of BMC ahead of the oath-taking ceremony.”Samajwadi Party’s newly elected corporator Rajesh Agarwal said, “Painting BMC with saffron colour or any other color will not help in the development of the city. Since the party has now come into power, its focus should be on developmental works like providing the city a solid waste treatment plant, giving the city residents relief from the ongoing garbage chaos and other important works.”He added that this is the first time that BMC building’s entrance is being painted saffron.Recently, the boundary walls and interiors of over 100 government primary schools in rural areas of Pilibhit district were painted saffron. The move was initiated by gram pradhans but no government order or official direction had been issued in this regard.