E-Paper
10 days on, sunken road stretch near Ludhiana’s Chand Cinema awaits repair
A stretch of road remained sunken near Chand Cinema along Budhha Nullah endangering people’s lives and causing traffic problems. Locals say they have already reported it to the municipal corporation authorities.
For over 10 days on, a stretch of road near Chand Cinema, along Buddha Nullah, remained sunken, endangering the life of commuters and causing traffic snarls, even as the locals claim that they have alerted the municipal corporation (MC) authorities.
The damaged portion has narrowed the carriageway, causing traffic snarls during peak hours. The road, residents say, was re-carpeted in 2022, raising serious questions about the quality of work and material used.
Narinder Malhi, general secretary, BJP Ludhiana, alleged negligence on the part of the civic body. “The road was re-carpeted just three years ago and now a major portion has sunk. It has been around 10 days since the damage appeared, but not a single official from the department has visited the site, even though the matter is already under their knowledge,” he said.
He demanded accountability and a technical inspection of the stretch. Commuters using the road daily said minor accidents and near-miss incidents have become common, especially during evening hours when traffic flow increases. Two-wheeler riders are the worst affected as they often fail to notice the uneven surface in time.
Rohit Sharma, a daily commuter, said, “Vehicles suddenly slow down or swerve to avoid the sunken portion, which creates confusion and increases the chances of collision. During night hours, the situation becomes more dangerous due to poor visibility.”
Another resident said heavy vehicles passing through the stretch further aggravate the damage. Shopkeepers in the area said the problem appears to be linked to soil erosion along the nullah or possible leakage beneath the road surface. They feared that if immediate repairs are not carried out, the cave-in could widen further, leading to a major mishap.
When contacted, MC executive engineer Sanjeev Sharma said, “The matter is under our knowledge and the repair work will be carried out within a day.” He assured that the damaged portion would be fixed to restore smooth traffic movement
