Year bookended by progress, unmet expectations

The year has been one that sparked mixed feelings among Sahnewal residents. While there was significant progress, some perennial issued continued to plague the town, and were a killjoy for the people.

Increasing traffic congestion due to unrestricted entry of heavy vehicles, illegal parking, absence of traffic light at major intersections, lack of a bus stand, staff crunch at the community health centre, erratic power and water supply, burning of garbage, single-use plastics and lack of sanitation were among the major issues that drew the locals’ ire.

The situation was made worse by the rapidly increasing industrial footprint. Unchecked drainage of chemicals and untreated waste polluted the groundwater, making it unfit for drinking at several places. This also had an adverse impact on the residents’ health.

The one defining moment that brought together the town was local boy and Bollywood powerhouse Dharmendra’s demise late in the year.

On the superstar’s 90th birth anniversary in December, the townsfolk gathered to celebrate his legacy and relive the memories they shared with him.

The people gathered at Dharmendra’s favourite, Nambardar Sweet Shop, where he used to enjoy his most cherished treat, “gajar ka halwa”.

The local School of Eminence, where Dharmendra completed his primary education, distributed saplings to the children, urging the schoolkids to nurture them in the way Dharmendra nurtured his dreams.

Crackdown on encroachments

The year witnessed intensified crackdown on encroachments, resulting in them being removed to a considerable extent.

The traffic police conducted drives against the violators, especially the ones who park vehicles in haphazard manner on the town’s single market road. Encroachments on the Sahnewal market road were removed as well. Street vendors and their stalls, working in association with shopkeepers, were removed. The traffic police freed a portion illegally occupied by the shopkeepers, creating space for the commuters and shoppers.

Proposal for new sub-tehsil building

A proposal for a new sub-tehsil building for Sahnewal is on the cards as the office currently uns from the community centre which is in a dilapidated state. The new building is proposed on the main road near Gurdwara Attarsar Sahib in Kanech village. Earlier with the Public Works Department (PWD), the proposal has now been approved for transfer to the revenue department. The move will improve governance standards and streamline administrative services, and be a boon for the locals. The new location is also expected to save the locals’ some travel time because of its geographical location.

Chaos on roads

The year was especially excruciating for those trying to navigate the roads of Sahnewal, which were mostly jammed due to unrestricted entry of heavy vehicles.

While the official position remains that heavy vehicles are not to enter the town limits from 8 am to 8 pm, the ground reality is far from it. Heavy vehicles are seen entering the town freely, with no care of consequences or action.

The situation seemed to have deteriorated after the Sahnewal over-bridge was built.

The issue assumed such grave proportions that there were multiple reports of people being crushed under tyres of these heavy vehicles and losing their lives. The drivers of heavy vehicles seldom slow down, even in the packed streets, and are often the guilty party in causing these “accidental” deaths.

The situation remains the same despite multiple appeals from the locals and commuters, and continued reportage by the media.

Health centre sans gynaecologist

The Community Health Centre (CHC) has been without a gynaecologist for some time now, posing serious questions over the tall claims of better healthcare made by the current as well as the previous governments.

This presents a pressing problem to the women, especially the less fortunate such as migrants. Unable to afford hefty fee charged by private clinics, they are left with little to no choice during pregnancies.

The locals and the media have highlighted the issue repeatedly, but their appeals fell on deaf ears. The absence of a qualified doctor means that the operation theatre and equipment available at the facility are also going to waste.

The locals also demanded for port-mortem facility to be made available at the health centre.

No bus stop

The town does not have a functioning bus stop. While the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) built one six years ago, it quickly fell into disrepair due to the “callous attitude” of the nagar council. It also became a target for drug addicts, who stole the equipment one after the other till only a bench, that could not be moved, was left at the stop.

This has made commuting an uphill task for those hoping to hop on a bus to get out of town.

The buses do not have a designated spot for picking up and dropping passengers, and make unplanned and haphazard halts, adding to the already gruesome traffic situation. This also puts the passengers at risk while they board and de-board the buses.

Sewage raised a stink

As the sewer system fell drastically short from the task at hand, several wards in the city have been braving stink from the overflowing system.

The pipes installed in the system have inadequate holding capacity, and the sewage is seen overflowing on the roads.

The town has also been struggling with erratic water and power supply for long, and the situation was no different in 2025.

The Public Health Department did install a community water tank years ago, but it was just another victim of poor upkeep and is now not in use, forcing locals to make arrangements of their own. While the well-off population manages to do so, it is the disadvantaged who are left to suffer.

The erratic power supply added to the locals’ woes, especially in the peak summer season.

Along with throwing normal life out of gear, the erratic power supply also had an adverse impact on farming, businesses, trade and the local industry.

Garbage accumulation

The solid waste management system in the town also seemed to be crying for attention, with garbage collection from homes being the primary difficulty. There were times when garbage was not collected from homes for days, leaving the residents to beat the filth and the stink that came with it.