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Ludhiana: 7 roads damaged, houses inundated, PSPCL sees ₹8.5-crore loss, 18,000 plaints
On Sunday and Monday, the city had registered 216 mm rain; the India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert for the district on Wednesday
With the rain continuing to lash the city during the midnight and the wee hours of Tuesday, Buddha Nullah and Ganda Nullah continued to overflow, triggering inundation of houses in several low-lying colonies. The Ludhiana central zone of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) reported damages worth ₹8.5 crore as around 140 transformers were rendered non-functional, 225 electric poles were damaged and approximately 13 km of overhead electrical wires were affected. Officials were on their toes to restore power to affected areas as the city received 57 mm rain from 8:30 am on Monday till 8:30 am on Tuesday.
On Sunday and Monday, the city had registered 216 mm rain. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert for the district on Wednesday. It said heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places is very likely over Punjab during the next 24-36 hours. It advised farmers to make arrangements for drainage of excess water.
The PSPCL got over 18,279 complaints regarding electricity failure on Monday. Officials said over 8,500 complaints were pending on Tuesday, according to official data.
Over seven incidents of roads caving in have been reported in a week. In SBS Nagar, one side of the main road caved in after continuous downpour on Monday. The stretch near the City Centre, which is frequented by thousands daily, has become extremely dangerous. It happened due to lack of a proper retaining wall, said residents. The Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) has failed to take corrective action.
“The sand beneath the road gets washed away every time it rains heavily. Without a retaining wall, the road is bound to cave in. We have raised this issue repeatedly with the Ludhiana Improvement Trust but nothing has been done,” said a shopkeeper near the City Centre complex.
Three roads were damaged in Model Town, one in Dugri Phase 2, one near the railway station besides a few in other parts of the city. Some of these locations were already damaged before the rains, but civic authorities have failed to act, residents said.
LIT executive engineer Vikram said, “We are waiting for the rainfall to stop. Repair works on the road in SBS Nagar will begin after that.”
Areas like Dhoka Mohalla, Maharaja Ranjit Park, Kot Mangal Singh Nagar and Dhamarpura were the worst affected as floodwaters entered houses, damaging furniture, electrical appliances and other belongings. Residents said the black toxic water suggested industrial waste getting discharged in the drains.
In Maharaja Ranjit Park, resident Ranjit Kumar said the area faced a similar situation two years ago when authorities had promised compensation and permanent solutions, but to no avail. “Stinking water has made our houses not worth living. Our furniture is damaged and electric appliances have stopped working. Why no preventive measures were ensured before the onset of monsoon?” he asked.
Residents alleged that the municipal corporation did little to desilt or clean the nullahs in advance.
In Dhoka Mohalla, Shanti Devi, a 65-year-old widow, said her single-room house was inundated on Thursday night. “I had kept my bedding and some dry food items on the floor. Everything is destroyed now. The foul smell from the drain water has made it unbearable to stay inside. Where should I go now?” she asked.
Vivek Verma, a resident of Kot Mangal Singh Nagar, blamed poor sewer maintenance. “The sewer lines are blocked for months. Every monsoon we face this issue, but it is worse now. My fridge and washing machine are damaged. The officials only show up for inspection but do nothing concrete,” he said.
Residents also said that despite several calls, no help arrived during the peak hours of waterlogging. Many were forced to spend the night draining water manually using buckets.
The overflow of Buddha Nullah and Ganda Nullah has become a recurring problem and residents are demanding a permanent solution.
The civic body, however, maintained that all possible steps are being taken. A senior MC official said, “We have deployed teams in the affected areas and are monitoring the situation. Pumps are being used to clear the water besides cleaning the drains is underway.”
