As hundreds of trucks roll into Transport Nagar every day, they encounter the same obstacles that have plagued the area for years—waterlogged roads, cratered stretches and inadequate drainage. Stakeholders say Ludhiana’s busiest commercial transport hub continues to struggle with crumbling civic infrastructure, with repeated representations yielding little beyond temporary fixes.
For transporters and truck drivers, the arrival of the monsoon only amplifies these longstanding problems. Rainwater conceals deep potholes, parking areas turn into pools and damaged roads slow the movement of heavy vehicles, disrupting loading, unloading and freight operations.
Transport Nagar handles a significant share of the city’s freight movement, but those working in the area say its infrastructure has failed to keep pace with growing commercial activity.
According to them, the sewerage network has remained largely unchanged for decades, while repeated road repairs have done little to address chronic waterlogging.
Truck drivers say navigating the area during rainfall is both difficult and risky, as submerged potholes often damage vehicles and cause traffic bottlenecks. Parking has also emerged as a major concern, with waterlogged lots and encroachments reducing the already limited space available for heavy vehicles.
Several stakeholders alleged that because Transport Nagar is primarily a commercial hub with few permanent residents, its civic concerns have not received sustained attention over the years. They said despite repeatedly raising the issues with successive administrations, no long-term solution has been implemented.
{{/usCountry}}Several stakeholders alleged that because Transport Nagar is primarily a commercial hub with few permanent residents, its civic concerns have not received sustained attention over the years. They said despite repeatedly raising the issues with successive administrations, no long-term solution has been implemented.
{{/usCountry}}“Every time it rains, the roads become impossible to navigate. We cannot see the potholes because they remain submerged. Trucks get stuck, deliveries are delayed and vehicles are often damaged. We also face security concerns, with incidents of battery theft and assaults on drivers,” said Sonu, a truck driver.
Raj Kumar, a transporter, said the number of commercial vehicles operating from Transport Nagar has increased substantially over the years, but the supporting infrastructure has remained virtually unchanged.
“We spend more time dealing with waterlogging and traffic bottlenecks than focusing on business. Proper parking has become a major challenge and there has been no permanent solution,” he said.
General secretary of the Transport Nagar Association, Gurdeep Singh Kalra, said the recurring flooding was primarily due to an outdated sewerage network that has not been upgraded since 1984. “There is no proper outlet for rainwater. Over the years, roads have been raised, but the parking areas remain at their original level, causing water to accumulate for days. We have repeatedly flagged these issues before the authorities,” he said, adding that mayor Inderjeet Kaur and Ludhiana Central MLA Ashok Parashar are scheduled to visit the area on Friday.
Transport Nagar Association president Balraj Sharma said stakeholders were hopeful the proposed visit would finally lead to concrete action. “We have submitted several representations over the years, but the problems continue to persist. We hope the authorities will assess the ground situation and implement long-term solutions instead of temporary repairs.”
Calls made to municipal corporation zonal commissioner Neeraj Jain went unanswered.