Defence Colony residents fume over potholed road

Residents of Defence Colony here have been grappling with the deteriorating condition of the main road, which has remained neglected for over two-and-a-half years. The road, riddled with potholes and scattered gravel, has become a source of inconvenience and danger, especially during rain, despite repeated complaints to the Municipal Corporation (MC).

The stretch is one of the busiest routes in the city, connecting bus stand on the one side and Jalandhar Cantt on the other, catering to heavy traffic throughout the day. It serves as a crucial link with several schools, shops and a gurdwara located along its path.

Residents say that the road was repaired during the 2022 Assembly elections, offering a brief relief to commuters. However, the patchwork did not last long and the surface had steadily worsened since then.

“During rain, potholes turn into water-filled craters, making it impossible to judge their depth. Riding a two-wheeler on this road is extremely risky. We risk our lives every day,” said Nirmal Singh, a regular commuter.

Residents have reported frequent near-miss accidents and health issues due to dust rising from the broken surface.

Frustrated by the MC's inaction, the Defence Colony Residents’ Society had taken the matter to the Permanent Lok Adalat in October last year. Represented by its general secretary Harbinder Singh through advocate Vikram Dutta, the society had sought legal intervention to compel the MC to fulfil its responsibility of maintaining the road. The petition had highlighted that the road’s poor condition posed significant safety risks to the public, particularly during the monsoon season.

During the hearing, officials from the MC’s Building and Roads (B&R) Branch, including SDO Komal Kainth and Junior Engineer Parul, confirmed that trench restoration work had commenced. They had informed the court that the contract for repairs was awarded to Rajiv Kumar Aggarwal, but complete recarpeting would take time due to weather conditions and technical evaluations. The court had directed the MC to complete the repairs by November 30, 2024.

However, residents claim the MC only carried out temporary repairs on one side of the road, which barely lasted a month. “The situation is back to square one. The gravel is scattered and potholes are as bad as ever,” said a resident.

Ward No. 18 Councillor Kanwar Sartaj said he had raised the issue with the MC Commissioner and other officials, who recently visited the site and assured him that the repairs would be carried out soon. “The road is a daily hazard and urgent action is needed to prevent accidents,” he said.