E-Paper
Damaged retaining walls of bridges over Buddha Nullah a threat to commuters in Ludhiana
According to the officials of the irrigation department, there are around 20 bridges over Buddha Nullah in different villages of Ludhiana
The bridges over Buddha Nullah in Gaunspur and Jainpur villages are in urgent need of attention, as their retaining walls are severely damaged and some portions are missing, posing a serious risk to commuters.
According to the officials of the irrigation department, there are around 20 bridges over Buddha Nullah in different villages of Ludhiana.
Residents of these villages stated that the bridges were constructed two decades ago, and since then, no maintenance has been carried out. Due to the absence of street lights near the bridges, crossing them during evening hours has become highly risky, especially for the ones located in Jainpur and Gaunspur village , where most of the retaining walls are damaged.
Sarpanch of Gaunspur village Sukhdev Singh expressed concern over the missing and damaged portions of retaining walls on the bridges. He mentioned that several portions of the retaining walls were damaged by the machines during the cleaning of Buddah Nullah by the administration, a month ago. Sukhdev Singh has already lodged a complaint with MLA Jeevan Singh Sangowal, urging him to take necessary actions for repairing the bridge as it is currently posing a risk to the commuters’ safety.
Sukhminder Singh, a panchayat member of Gaunspur village, expressed his concerns, saying, “A major portion of the safety walls is missing, making it highly susceptible to accidents. This road is the busiest in our village, connecting to multiple villages, including Noorpur Bet and several others. Additionally, the garbage dump near the bridge is emitting a foul smell, causing various health problems. I request the concerned authorities to take immediate action and repair the bridge before any unfortunate incidents occur.”
Sarpanch of Jainpur village Balkaran Bajwa raised concerns over the damaged retaining walls of the bridge in Jainpur village and emphasised that the absence of street lights near the bridge makes it very difficult to commute during evening hours. He urged the irrigation department to take action and reconstruct the retaining walls and bridges, considering their current bad condition.
Kamal Singh, a resident of Jainpur village, stated, “Due to the damaged safety walls, the village residents have been avoiding the route to reach the city. Furthermore, the area is quite isolated as there are no street lights, leading to an increase in theft cases along this particular lane.”
Sanjay Goyal, former chairman of the Indian Institutes of Architects, Punjab Chapter, emphasised, “It is the moral responsibility of the concerned department to ensure that structures remain as strong as possible, not only during flooding but at all times. Negligence in maintaining these structures can lead to accidents, posing a threat to both commuters and pedestrians. I intend to submit a written complaint to the chief minister of Punjab, urging him to take prompt action and repair the bridges.”
Responding to the matter, Akash Aggarwal, the executive engineer of the irrigation department, informed that nearly all of the 20 bridges over the Buddha Nullah were constructed more than two decades ago. He assured that he would dispatch a team to inspect the retaining walls of these bridges to prepare a proper estimate for the repairs. He further mentioned that the proposal for repair would be sent to higher authorities for further consideration and necessary action.
