Ludhiana: Ward 32 residents grapple with broken roads, garbage

Squeezed through narrowed pathways, vehicles face frequent gridlocks during peak hours, causing immense distress to commuters

Residents of Sherpur, Deep Nagar, Fouji Colony, and Ranjit Nagar in Ward 32 are grappling with civic neglect, as broken roads, overflowing sewage, scattered garbage, and rampant encroachments turn daily commutes into a struggle.

Uncollected garbage dumped along street corners creates unhygienic conditions across neighbourhoods.

The problem is visible along busy market corridors, where roadside vendors have encroached upon pedestrian and traffic spaces. Squeezed through narrowed pathways, vehicles face frequent gridlocks during peak hours, causing immense distress to commuters.

The deteriorated state of local infrastructure adds to the problems . Deep potholes and uneven stretches pose severe safety hazards for pedestrians, two-wheelers and motorists alike. Compounding the misery, blocked sewer lines cause dirty water to stagnate on roads, while uncollected garbage dumped along street corners creates unhygienic conditions across neighbourhoods.

“We have to deal with the same problems every day. The roads are broken, garbage remains lying on the streets and encroachments leave very little space to move. During busy hours, traffic gets stuck because there is simply no space left,” said Pawan Mahajan, a resident of Sherpur.

Local grievances run deep, with residents noting that the issues have persisted for a long time. “We keep hearing that the problems will be resolved, but there has been no permanent solution. People are forced to adjust and live with these conditions every day,” said Roodra Sharma, a resident of Deep Nagar.

Families in Fauji Colony and Ranjit Nagar also raised concerns over sanitation failures. “A road is meant for people and vehicles, but here encroachments and garbage have taken over. When sewage gets blocked, the entire area becomes difficult to cross. We want the civic authorities to stop temporary fixes and address the problem properly,” said Kiranpreet Kaur, a resident of Ranjit Nagar.

With encroachments narrowing roads, damaged stretches making movement difficult and sanitation problems continuing residents said the condition reflects a larger failure of basic civic upkeep.

Locals said the problem reflects a systemic failure of basic civic upkeep. They have urged the municipal corporation to launch a drive against illegal encroachments, ensure regular garbage clearance, repair battered thoroughfares, and overhaul the faulty drainage network.

Market president Rohit said, “We have not been given any designated space, so we put up our stalls wherever we find space. What else can we do?”

Area councillor Jaswinder Singh said, “The sewage pipeline is only 8 inches while the population has increased considerably over the years. There are also no proper road gullies at several places, which adds to the drainage problem. As far as the encroachments are concerned, these stall owners also pay taxes to the municipal corporation, so the issue needs to be addressed accordingly,” he said.

Repeated attempts to reach Zone C commissioner Gurpal Singh for comment met with no response.