Ludhiana | Month after Deep Nagar road cave-in, shopkeepers agitate over slow pace of repair work

Around 100 shopkeepers have been hit due to the Deep Nagar road cave-in, and subsequent repair work in Ludhiana

A month after the Deep Nagar Road had to be cordoned off due to a cave-in on October 28, shopkeepers in the area staged a protest against the municipal corporation alleging that the slow pace of the repair work had hit their business.

The protesting shopkeepers said that it had been a month since the road had caved-in at Deep Nagar, but the Ludhiana civic body had till not installed new sewer and water lines. (Harsimar Pal Singh/HT)

The shopkeepers also blocked the main road near the Dandi Swami Chowk for around half-an-hour, disturbing the movement of traffic. The protesting shopkeepers said that it had been a month since the road had caved-in, but the civic body had till not installed new sewer and water lines. “A stretch of around 200ft has been dug up, leaving no space for movement of traffic, due to which there is meagre footfall in the market,” said the traders, who were protesting under the banner of the Deep Nagar Shopkeepers Association.

Around 100 shops have been hit due to the road cave-in, and subsequent repair work.

Shopkeepers’ association president Tarun Kumar said no business was seen in the area even on Diwali. “The shopkeepers are a harried lot and are struggling to make ends meet. The MC officials are not paying heed, which has forced us to stage a protest,” said Kumar.

One of the shopkeepers Narinder said, “Tenants are the worst affected, as they are struggling to make rent. Business was already in a slump after the pandemic broke out last year, and this has added to the woes of the shopkeepers. The MC officials have failed to expedite work, despite repeated complaints, said Narindr, a shopkeeper.

MC sub-divisional officer (SDO) Anshul Garcha said, “It is difficult to lay sewer and water supply lines in the area as it is a narrow street, and work has to be done very carefully so that the foundations of the houses and shops are not damaged. Most of the work has been done, and repair work will be completed in four to five days.”

Mayor Balkar Sandhu said he had also directed officials to expedite work. Two students and a woman had a narrow escape after a major portion of the Deep Nagar main road had caved-in on October 28.