Ludhiana: Delay in construction on Gill Road triggers traffic woes

Commuters are facing a tough time on Gill Road, one of the busiest stretches in the Ludhiana, where construction of a new RMC road is moving at a slow pace. The situation has worsened over the past six days as work has remained suspended, leading to traffic congestion and inconvenience to residents.

A major portion of the road, especially the stretch leading to Guru Nanak Engineering College, is dug up, forcing authorities to allow traffic movement on a single side. This has resulted in frequent traffic jams throughout the day.

Gill Road is an important connectivity route linking various parts of the city and adjoining towns. It is also widely used by students and patients as it connects schools, colleges and hospitals. Residents said the delay in completing the work has disrupted daily life. The road project, estimated to cost around Rs 5 crore, had started nearly a month ago. However, locals allege that the pace of work has been slow and irregular. Social worker Kuldeep Khaira said the road connects key industrial areas and its damaged condition was affecting both commuters and traders. “Showrooms and shops along the road are suffering losses as customers are avoiding the stretch due to poor road conditions,” he said.

Another resident, Ganesh Kumar, alleged that instead of completing the work in one stretch, the road was being dug up further ahead. “The road has been uprooted till the chowk leading to ATI Road, but there is no clarity on when it will be rebuilt,” he said.

Raising concerns over quality, Khaira pointed out that the same road had been rebuilt in 2022, but allegedly with substandard material. “Despite complaints, no action was taken against the contractor and payments were released. Now, the road is again being rebuilt using public money,” he said.

Responding to the allegations, SDO (B&R) Sandeep Chaudhary said the work had been halted for three days due to rain. “After laying the base, shuttering panels will be installed, followed by RMC work. The road will be constructed in phases, with one side being completed first,” he said.