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Ludhiana: Two weeks on, sewerage works at Feroze Gandhi market crawl at snail pace
SDO (O&M wing) Jaideep Singh said the manholes along the gutter lines have now been covered with RCC slabs, which are concrete slabs that need 7 to 14 days to properly dry and harden; most of the work is already done, and sewer installation would be completed within the next day or two
Commuters and local businesses have expressed frustration over the sluggish pace of the sewer pipe installation works at the main lane at Feroze Gandhi market, one of Ludhiana’s busiest and most upscale commercial hubs, which has been left dug up for nearly two weeks.
The prolonged disruption has turned the area into a construction zone, sparking frustration over the lack of planning and coordination in executing a basic civic project. Heaps of construction material, dug up lanes, and abandoned sewer pipes have left commuters navigating through dust and debris. The situation is particularly troubling for shopkeepers, who say customer footfall has been impacted due to the restricted access.
Ravi Khanna, a daily commuter, voiced his angst by stating, “This is a central market with high footfall. How can such important work be taken up without a proper execution plan? There is no signage, no alternate route, and no deadline being followed. We’re just left to fend for ourselves in the mess.”
Another commuter, Pooja Bansal, who works in a nearby office, echoed similar sentiments: “The condition of the road is pathetic. Authorities don’t realise how this affects people’s daily lives. We can’t even walk without stepping into a ditch or dust cloud. Even parking our vehicles along this lane has become troublesome. It’s appalling that such basic infrastructure work is being handled so poorly.”
Additionally, Kulwant Singh, a local car dealer, said, “Our business is suffering because customers are not approaching our shops. The open sewer, dust, and scattered pipes have made the lane inaccessible. It’s affecting our daily operations.”
Sanjeev Sharma, another businessman and a green activist, remarked, “Feroze Gandhi Market is not just facing temporary sewerage issues - it has been neglected for years. Overflowing drains and incomplete pipelines have been a constant problem here, severely inconveniencing both visitors and businesses.”
“The government had announced a substantial investment of ₹10.2 crore for the beautification of the area, but despite this, it remains neglected with little to no progress. Wastewater has been flowing in the parking area opposite the Improvement Trust office for over a decade. Instead of fixing the root cause, the old system is repeatedly patched with cement. The area continues to suffer from poor sanitation and ineffective solutions,” he added.
When contacted,SDO (O&M wing) Jaideep Singh asserted, “We have dug up this lane to install pipes for better sewerage connectivity in the area. However, the work was temporarily halted when electric wires connected to the CCTV surveillance system were accidentally snapped. Following instructions from the police department, we paused the work for a few days. Once the CCTV mapping was completed, we resumed installation. The manholes along the gutter lines have now been covered with RCC slabs, which are concrete slabs that need 7 to 14 days to properly dry and harden. Most of the work is already done, and sewer installation will be completed within the next day or two.”
