2 yrs on, service lane in a shambles

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 20

Commuters are a harried lot as a service-lane stretch from the Mini-Secretariat’s multi-level parking lot towards Bharat Nagar Chowk is in a shambles for more than past two years.

Huge potholes on the road invite mishaps, while the authorities concerned turn a blind eye.

Due to the accumulation of rainwater at the broken road, it creates more troubles for the commuters. It is even difficult for pedestrians to walk through the road. Moreover, no repair work is being done to avoid any accident at the stretch that also leads to the post-office.

MC officials claimed the stretch of Ferozepur Road has been transferred to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) due to the Elevated Road project. The Elevated Road is to be constructed from Samrala Chowk to the Ferozepur Road octroi.

Satish Thaman, a member of the Ludhiana West Grievances Redressal Committee, said: “The road is in a poor condition, giving an open invitation to mishaps. People face inconvenience to this broken road. I have raised the matter with post-office authorities. If the civic body can’t carry out the repair work for the road, then why it is charging the parking fee from visitors at the Ferozepur Road parking lots,” he said.

“The government should fix the responsibility and give directions for re-carpeting of the road at the earliest,” he said.

A visitor at the district administration parking lot said: “The road outside the multi-level parking of the Mini-Secretariat has been broken for long, but nobody pays attention. I have been witnessing the poor condition of the road for the past two years. The government should take action to get the road repaired.”

Besides, potholes have also appeared on other portions of the service lanes and the main stretch of Ferozepur Road.

MC Superintending Engineer Dharam Singh said: “Now, Ferozepur Road falls under the NHAI as they are constructing the Elevated Road. Thus, the NHAI is responsible to carry out the repair work at Ferozepur Road and service lanes.”

Despite repeated attempts, BS Chauhan, Project Director, NHAI, could not be contacted for comments.

Onus on NHAI

Now, Ferozepur Road falls under the NHAI as they are constructing the elevated road. Thus, the NHAI is responsible for carrying out the repair work on the road and its service lanes. — Dharam Singh, MC Superintending Engineer