Ludhiana MC awakes, gets ‘poor’ quality road repaired

Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) officials got the damaged portion of the road repaired from the contractor, after shopkeepers at Dugri Main Road raised hue and cry over the poor quality of road construction work

Waking up from its deep slumber, the municipal corporation (MC) officials got the damaged portion of the road repaired from the contractor, after shopkeepers at Dugri Main Road raised hue and cry over the poor quality of road construction work.

MC additional commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal said the contractor has been directed to get the road repaired and the concerned officials were told to stop the payment if the contractor fails to do the same. (Representative Image/HT File)

On December 29, the shopkeepers had slammed the authorities after the road material started wearing off a day after the portion of road was constructed. The shopkeepers said the material had started peeling off even before the completion of project alleging authorities’ lacklustre approach to keep a check on the ongoing work.

The residents have been raising objections on quality of newly constructed roads in different areas of the city including Model Town-Jawaddi Road, Pakhowal Road, Kitchlu Nagar, Shastri Nagar among other areas.

One of the shopkeepers at main road, Sanjay Tiwari said, “It is shameful that the newly constructed road had to be repaired. The authorities should keep a check on the quality, as public money in crores is being wasted. The MC officials including junior engineers or any other staffer should remain present while the contractor takes up construction work.”

MC additional commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal said the contractor has been directed to repair the road portion and the concerned officials were told to stop the payment if the contractor fails to do the same. The department is keeping a check on the quality of works and a third party is also being appointed to keep a check on the quality of works being taken up by MC.

SAD slams MC

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also slammed the MC and leaders of ruling party for allegedly indulging in corruption due to which poor quality roads are being constructed in the city. Former cabinet minister Maheshinder Singh Grewal and SAD leader Harish Rai Dhanda said less and poor quality material is being used for the construction of roads in order to woo the voters ahead of elections, but the road material will wear off in short time.