Delay in Noorwala Road restoration work troubles commuters, traders

Residents and shopkeepers on Noorwala Road continue to face inconvenience as the reconstruction of the road remains delayed despite sewerage pipeline work having progressed over the past several weeks. The delay, allegedly caused by poor coordination between the Municipal Corporation’s Building and Roads (B&R) branch and the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Cell, has left a nearly 2-km stretch in a damaged condition.

The affected stretch extends from Shivpuri Chowk to Basant Vihar, where the road was dug up for laying sewerage pipelines. Though a major portion of the pipeline work has been completed, the road has not been restored, forcing thousands of commuters to travel through broken stretches filled with loose soil, dust and uneven surfaces.

With the monsoon having arrived, residents fear that the damaged road will soon turn into a muddy stretch, making commuting even more difficult. Shopkeepers also say the prolonged construction has badly affected their businesses as customers are avoiding the area due to poor road conditions.

Rajesh Kumar, who runs a shop on Noorwala Road, said the road had remained dug up for over two months. “The affected stretch is around two km long and nearly 200 shopkeepers are dependent on the road. The business has suffered badly as customers find it difficult to reach our shops. The road has not been restored even though work has been going on for weeks,” he said.

Local residents said dust generated by passing vehicles had become another major problem. They claimed that pedestrians, schoolchildren and two-wheeler riders were finding it difficult to use the road safely due to potholes and uneven patches created after excavation.

Congress leader Mannu Arora alleged that the issue had been repeatedly raised before the authorities, but no permanent solution had been provided. He claimed that excavation work on the road began in April and only one side of the pipeline work had been completed.

“Half of the sewerage pipeline has already been laid but work on the remaining portion has come to a standstill. The contractor has reportedly stopped the work, claiming that pending payments have not been released. The public is paying the price for the delay,” Arora said.

He said with the rainy season now underway, the condition of the road was likely to deteriorate further if the restoration work was not taken up immediately. Waterlogging and muddy conditions could make the stretch unsafe for commuters and cause additional problems for nearby residents and shopkeepers.

Residents have urged the Municipal Corporation to improve coordination between its departments, solve any pending issues delaying the project and complete the pipeline work and road restoration at the earliest. They said prolonged delays in civic works not only inconvenience the public but also affect local businesses and increase the risk of accidents on busy roads.

Despite repeated attempts, Amanpreet Singh, Joint Commissioner, MC, did not respond to calls.