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Deadly potholes return on Ludhiana roads after showers
Waterlogging adds to commuters’ woes with heightened risk of accidents on broken roads; MC official says repairs to begin today
Amid tall claims of development by the municipal corporation (MC) and Congress leadership, deep potholes on city roads continue to make driving a nightmare for commuters.
Incessant rain over the past few days has further exposed the authorities’ apathy towards civic infrastructure, with several broken roads deteriorating further.
Rainwater failing to clear out hours after showers cease, further puts commuters’ lives in jeopardy.
MC’s expenditure of ₹212 crore on repair of roads in the five years between April 2015 to March 2020, as revealed through an RTI application, has failed to change much on ground, with roads getting run-down in no time.
While its hot mix plant on Hambran Road has not been made functional due to the monsoon season, authorities have also failed to commence repair work using readymade hot mix material, despite directions to this effect by MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal in the past.
Consequently, deep potholes dot roads in almost every part of the city, including Jagraon Bridge, Gill Road, Model Town-Jawaddi Road, Ferozepur Road, Focal Point and Railway Station road, all busy stretches.
Internal streets in residential areas, including Model Town Extension, Field Ganj, Model Town, SBS Nagar, BRS Nagar, also remain in poor shape.
While slamming the authorities for their failure in repairing the roads in time, residents have also raised questions over the quality of road repair works taken up by the corporation.
A resident of Shastri Nagar, Balpreet Singh said, “Not even a single road in the city is in a good shape at present. Potholes can be witnessed on every road. Despite paying taxes, residents continue to suffer the consequences of broken roads, while MC continues to turn a blind eye.”
Field Ganj resident Taranjit Singh, who owns a shop on Gill Road, said, “Waterlogging on potholed roads adds to commuters’ woes, as chances of accidents multiply. If MC cannot operationalise the hot mix plant in the rainy season, it should find an alternative. At some points, including the traffic signal near Arora Palace, there is always a fear that heavy vehicles may overturn due to deep potholes, a major risk to passing commuters.”
On MC’s part, superintending engineer Tirath Bansal said the repair works were delayed as the readymade hot mix material was still being procured. “The material is now available and MC will begin repairs on Monday. However, it is not feasible to fix wide potholes with this material, so the focus currently will be on smaller repairs. Larger potholes will be addressed once the hot mix plant becomes operational after the rainy season. The plant cannot be used amid the rains, as quality of material is affected at large,” he added.
