Stop repeated digging up of Sirsa roads for laying pipes, urge residents

Despite spending Rs 80 crore on improving the city’s drainage system, Sirsa continues to struggle with waterlogging every monsoon. For the past 4-5 years, almost every road in the city turns into a pond during heavy rain, highlighting the failure of the current drainage system.

Now, under the Storm Water Project, large underground pipelines are being laid to improve drainage. However, this process involves digging up even well-built roads whether they are made of concrete or tar. Roads across the city are being dug up once again, causing inconvenience, traffic issues and safety concerns.

One such example is the Janata Bhawan Road, which is a strong, recently constructed cement road. Locals are now demanding that instead of digging it up, modern trenchless technology should be used. This method allows underground pipelines to be laid without damaging the road surface.

Local resident and Nagrik Parishad secretary Surender Bhatia raised the issue and questioned the logic of digging up roads again and again. He said, “The roads dug for earlier projects have still not been properly repaired. Where they have been rebuilt, they have already sunk due to rainwater. Roads like Hisar Road, Dabwali Road and Rania Road are full of potholes where pipelines were laid. These have now become dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.”

Bhatia also pointed out that if Delhi Metro tunnels could be built under multi-storey buildings using advanced techniques, why can’t Sirsa adopt trenchless technology for laying pipelines? He mentioned that in Adampur town of Hisar district, underground pipelines are already being laid without digging roads.

Backing the demand, Sirsa MP Kumari Selja also raised the issue on Saturday. She wrote to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini urging the government to make trenchless technology mandatory for all future pipeline works across the state.

In her letter, Selja said that constant digging for gas lines, sewer pipes, drinking water and storm water drains is creating major problems for the public. It affects traffic and ruins the appearance of cities. She stated that trenchless technology has been successfully used in major Indian and international cities, including for Delhi Metro project, and should be adopted in Haryana as well.