Repeated road cave-ins near Ludhiana's City Centre project raise concerns

Repeated road cave-ins near the abandoned City Centre project in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Ludhiana, have become a major concern for commuters and residents, with another portion of the road collapsing after rainfall on Saturday morning despite temporary repair work carried out a few days ago. Residents have alleged that the absence of a permanent solution has put hundreds of motorists at risk during the ongoing monsoon season.

The affected stretch connects G Block and H Block near the City Centre project and serves as an important route for residents of the locality. According to locals, the road first caved in earlier this month after rain. Though the damaged portion was filled with debris, another section collapsed following fresh showers, exposing the weakness of the temporary repair work.

A motorcycle rider narrowly escaped injury on Saturday morning after his two-wheeler got stuck in the caved-in portion of the road. A resident, Arvind Sharma, present at the spot rescued the rider and pulled out the motorcycle. He said a major tragedy could occur if immediate steps were not taken, particularly during night hours when the damaged stretch was difficult to notice.

Residents said officials of the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) had visited the site a few days ago to inspect the damaged road. However, before any permanent repair could be carried out, another cave-in occurred after rainfall, further increasing public anger.

With all LIT colonies and schemes recently transferred to the Municipal Corporation, residents said they have now lodged complaints through the Municipal Corporation’s Monsoon Complaint Chatbot, requesting immediate repairs and preventive measures. They urged the civic body to treat the issue as a priority before more accidents occur.

Demand to barricade unsafe road

The residents have demanded that the damaged stretch be temporarily closed by installing barricades and warning signboards till permanent repairs were completed. They said alternative routes were available and a temporary closure would be a safer option than allowing traffic to continue on the unstable road.

According to the residents, the road condition has worsened after every spell of rain, indicating possible damage beneath the surface. They have urged the authorities to inspect the underground infrastructure and identify the exact cause of repeated cave-ins, instead of carrying out temporary repair works.

Meanwhile, social activist Ravinder Pal Singh Ghai has urged the state government and the Centre to utilise the abandoned City Centre land for establishing an AIIMS in Ludhiana.

He said the City Centre project, once planned as a commercial and residential hub by the LIT, has remained abandoned for years after getting embroiled in a multi-crore scam. The unused land should be put to productive public use instead of being left neglected.

Ghai said repeated cave-ins reflect poor maintenance and pose a serious threat to commuters. He appealed to the authorities to repair the damaged roads, fix accountability for the recurring problem.