Expedite project to cover Shivaji Nagar drain: BJP councillor tells Ludhiana mayor

The councillor’s husband said sewer lines were blocked in the area due to the slow progress of the project, and filthy water had accumulated in the streets.

With the Shivaji Nagar drain project missing its March 22 deadline, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Manju Aggarwal submitted a memorandum to mayor Balkar Sandhu at the Zone D office on Friday, asking him to expedite the work.

MLA Surinder Dawar, mayor Balkar Sandhu and municipal commissioner Pradeep Sabharwal inaugurating the project to cover the open drain opposite Shingar Cinema in Ludhiana. (HT Fil)

The councillor’s husband, Inder Aggarwal, said sewer lines were blocked in the area due to the slow progress of the project, and filthy water had accumulated in the streets. He said that if the project was not completed at the earliest, the residents would face a lot of difficulties in monsoon.

Aggarwal also asked the mayor to initiate the project to cover the Dharampura nullah from Shingar Cinema Road to the Gau Ghat cremation ground, for which orders had been issued in the past.

The ₹17.85-crore project to cover the 1.4-km stretch of the Shivaji nullah (from Transport Nagar to Shingar Cinema Road) was kicked off in September, and was supposed to be completed by March 2022.

Aggarwal said, “Not even 50% of the work has been completed and sewer lines are choked. A foul stink is emanating from the clogged sewers.”

Mayor Balkar Sandhu said directions had been issued to the superintending engineer (SE) concerned to visit the site and have the sewer lines cleared. “The contractor will also be directed to expedite work to cover the nullah,” he added.