Ludhiana: Commuters hassled amid delays in construction waste management plant

Prominent areas in Ludhiana, such as Focal Point, Cheema Chowk, Pratap Chowk, Dhandari and Chandigarh Road are seen littered with sand, gravel and bricks, obstructing traffic flow

Commuters are a hassled lot as the construction and demolition (C&D) waste management plant at Dhandari Kalan, approved in 2017 under the Smart City Mission, has been facing delays.

Construction debris dumped on a roadside near Transport Nagar in Ludhiana on Saturday. (Manish/HT)

Amid the delays, the construction materials are seen strewn on the roadsides across the city, posing safety risks for commuters. According to the Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management Rules, the civic body is responsible for managing the waste.

In 2023, the municipal corporation (MC) allocated a tender worth ₹7.45 crore for the project, but the plant is still to see light of day.

Commuters have voiced frustration over the construction rubble scattered across multiple areas in the city.

Prominent areas such as Focal Point, Cheema Chowk, Pratap Chowk, Dhandari and Chandigarh Road are seen littered with sand, gravel and bricks, obstructing traffic flow.

Motorist Malwinder Singh, who frequently travels to the Focal Point area, termed the situation an ‘everyday problem’.

He said, “I travel to the industrial area, where road repairs are ongoing. The construction materials, such as sand and gravel, are dumped on the roadside for months, occupying a large portion of the road. The risk of slipping at the roads in the area remains high.”

While acknowledging the issue, MC engineer Balwinder Singh asserted that the plant is expected to be operational by December 2024, after the completion of building construction and electrical work.

He added that the civic body is considering issuing fines to contractors who dump construction materials in public spaces in the meantime.