Ludhiana MC deploys poclain excavators to desilt Budhha Nullah

A private company for the task, instead of assigning it to the irrigation department, which would have charged nearly ₹90 lakh for the work

The municipal corporation (MC) deployed poclain excavators for the desilting of Budhha Nullah ahead of monsoon on Thursday.

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Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu has hired a private company for the task, instead of assigning it to the irrigation department, which would have charged nearly ₹90 lakh for the work.

As per information, two machines have been deployed at different points of the nullah at a cost of ₹4.1 lakh per month. The MC would bear the cost of fuel required to run the excavators.

The nullah is the city’s main drain and desilting it is critical before the onset of monsoon to prevent overflowing of sewer waste and rainwater on the roads.

In the past, the MC used to start desilting the nullah in the beginning of April, but it got delayed this time. Moreover, the fund-starved civic body decided to take up the job itself this year and saved lakhs of rupees it would otherwise pay to the irrigation department for the work.

As the JCB machines were unable to clean the nullah properly due to their limited reach, the mayor had asked MC officials to rope in a private player for the same.

“The Namdhari sect had cleaned the nullah a few months ago and the MC has also deployed JCB machines to clear garbage and silt from the drain, but it has been realised that poclain machines are necessary at some points. The nullah would be cleaned before monsoon hits the city so that residents do not face any trouble,” the mayor said.

The nullah overflows in New Kundanpuri and Upkar Nagar areas almost every year during monsoon, and residents have to bear the brunt of MC’s delay in the desilting exercise.