E-Paper
Road repairs delayed as Ludhiana’s only asphalt plant faces repeated glitches
Officials privy to the matter said the plant remained non-functional twice during the three weeks owing to repair work in belts and other mechanical issues
The only operational hot mix plant of the municipal corporation (MC) situated on Hambaran Road has faced two shutdowns in the past few weeks due to repeated technical faults, delaying the repair and resurfacing work on several city roads.
Officials privy to the matter said the plant remained non-functional twice during the three weeks owing to repair work in belts and other mechanical issues. Each breakdown halted the supply of hot mix material required for road repair works across the city.
As a result, two pothole-filling machines, procured at a cost of ₹4 crore, have been lying unused for several months. These machines, purchased to ensure quick repair of damaged stretches, rely entirely on the hot mix supply from the Hambaran Road plant. Without the mix, the machines have remained stationed at the MC yard, defeating the purpose of their purchase.
A senior MC official admitted that the repeated breakdowns of the plant have disrupted the pace of road repair work. “Every time the plant goes for repair, the entire schedule gets delayed. Even minor potholes remain unattended, causing inconvenience to commuters,” the official said.
Engineers in the building and roads (B&R) branch pointed out that Ludhiana, being the state’s largest city with over 2,500 km of roads, requires at least two fully functional plants to meet the demand. “The city’s road network cannot depend on one unit alone. Setting up another plant could cost around ₹4 crore, the same as the two pothole machines. If we had a second plant, the repair work would not have been affected,” said an official.
Residents have also raised complaints regarding poor road conditions in several areas, including Pakhowal Road, Dugri, Salem Tabri, and Rahon Road. Daily commuters have been facing bumpy rides as many stretches remain unrepaired despite repeated announcements by the civic body.
Civic activist, Kuldeep Khaira said the MC must prioritise uninterrupted functioning of the plant or establish another one at a suitable location. “The rainy season has already worsened road conditions. The city cannot afford more delays due to technical faults,” said Khaira.
Arvind Aggarwal, executive engineer workshop said, “There was fault in the belt in the machine and this is routine one but we are doing patch work of the city and there is minor delay not a major one”.
Officials from the MC said the plant is now operational again after repairs and efforts are being made to ensure it functions smoothly. However, road users say the damage has already been done, as several busy roads continue to suffer due to the delayed repair schedule.
