2 weeks on, Ludhiana MC wakes up from slumber
Begins work to repair caved-in road portion near pvt school
A cave-in near Arya Model School, close to the MC’s Zone A office, here, has been causing inconvenience to commuters and residents for the past nearly two weeks, exposing the civic body’s failure to address basic issues on the ground.
The cavity, which developed on the roadside, has made the stretch risky for motorists and pedestrians alike. With no proper repair work initiated so far, the situation has worsened, especially during peak hours when traffic movement increases in the area.
Officials of the Municipal Corporation said the matter came to their notice on Thursday only and the repair work had been initiated.
Residents said MC officials had visited the site soon after the cave-in was reported but instead of carrying out repairs, they merely placed a stick with a helmet on it as a warning sign. Locals allege that the temporary arrangement added to the woes as it occupies road space and creates confusion among commuters.
A commuter, Arvind Sharma, said: “It has been around two weeks but nothing has been done. The warning sign itself is creating obstruction. It is a busy road and such negligence can lead to accidents.”
Shopkeepers and residents in the area said the open pit poses a constant threat, especially at night. They demanded immediate action from the authorities before the occurrence of any untoward incident.
The incident has also raised questions over priorities of the civic body. While the MC is floating tenders worth crores for new projects, such basic issues remain unattended for days.
The Executive Engineer of the MC, Kamal Ram, said: “We are fixing the issue as due to rats in the sewer system, one wall of manhole was collapsed and the road got damaged.”
