Heavy rains expose crumbling road infra across Ludhiana

Residents across Ludhiana are navigating a maze of broken roads and deep potholes amid rising frustration following heavy rainfall that lashed the city in the past few days.

From Haibowal Kalan to the iconic Clock Tower, the damage is widespread and the silence from the authorities is deafening.

At Haibowal Kalan and Joshi Nagar, the condition of roads is worrisome.

“It’s not only inconvenient but also dangerous,” said Renu Sharma, a local schoolteacher, adding that “Children have slipped in these spots. Two-wheelers skid daily. We’ve complained but nothing happened.”

The stretch outside the women’s cell, leading to Domoria Bridge, tells a similar story. Cracks run deep, and the road surface has peeled away.

“This road connects to a major bridge,” said a nearby shopkeeper, Harpreet Singh.

“It’s used by hundreds daily. After the rain, it’s like driving in the battlefield,” he said.

Rose Garden Road, once a scenic route, is now a pothole-ridden mess. “It’s ironic,” said college student Mehak Arora.

“We come here to relax but now dodging craters. It’s like the garden is surrounded by a minefield,” she said.

Even the road near the Clock Tower, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, is in a shambles. The route, which also leads to the railway station, is riddled with potholes.

“This is the face of the city,” said auto driver Rajinder Pal, adding that “Tourists come to the place. What impression are we giving to them?”

Outside Minerva Complex, the situation is no better. Cracked asphalt and stagnant water have made the road nearly impassable. “I run a shop here,” said Amanpreet Kaur.

“Customers avoid coming now. Business is down and no one from the Municipal Corporation has even visited the place,” she said.

But the worst situation is outside the MC’s Zone D office. The road here is broken, uneven and waterlogged.

“If the civic body can’t fix the road outside its own office, what hope do we have for the rest of the city?” asked SK Verma, a retired teacher.

Residents say the damage isn’t new, it’s the result of years of neglect, poor drainage and repairs that don’t last. The recent rainfall simply exposed what was already crumbling. “We don’t want promises but accountability. Fix roads, fix the system,” said Renu Sharma.