Amritsar Ward Watch Ward No. 18: Clogged sewers, potholed roads, tardy lifting of garbage plague Ward No. 18

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, September 24

Ward No. 18 on Batala Road comprises several localities, including Jagdambe Colony, Bohar Wala Shiwala, Gokaul Vihar and Banke Bihari Gali. The residents of the area have been facing problems like clogged sewers and poor sanitation. The roads and streets have potholes and garbage has piled up in the ward. Some areas come under under mixed land use where small-scale industries has been set up.

Localities such as Jagdambe Colony and Gokaul Vihar are densely populated and congested. Residents often complain of irregular lifting of garbage from localities.

Rahul Kataria, a resident of Jagdambe Colony, said, “Ward No. 18 is being ignored by the authorities. Streets are potholed that get filled with rainwater wheneve it rains. Commuters face inconvenience due to choking of sewer lines.”

Shinda, a shopkeeper at Batala Road, said, “Officials of the municipal corporation and leaders give a call for keeping the city clean but the vehicles for door-to-door garbage collection visit the area only twice a week. The residents are forced to dump garbage in vacant plots. Heaps of garbage can be seen in every corner.”

Sandeep Kumar, former councillor of Ward No. 18, said, “Earlier, all facilites were provided to residents. After the General House was dissolved in January, MC officials do not listen to anyone. No one from the field staff visits the area. The sewer lines are choked and water is overflowing. Garbage lifting is also irregular. The Election Commission should ask the government to conduct the MC polls in a time-bound manner.”