NHAI apathetic, Sahnewal residents build own drain

Lovleen Bains

Sahnewal, July 11

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has completely failed to address the problems of local residents, who due to the ‘faulty’ or ‘improper’ drainage system had to suffer a lot, especially during the rainy season. This is clear from the fact that the residents got so fed up with the non-performing attitude of the NHAI that they constructed a drainage system with the financial support of Kaar Sewa In-charge of Gurdwara Reru Sahib.

Baba Major Singh, In-charge of Kaar Seva, Reru Sahib, who, along with the local sangat, initiated the move, said even a slight downpour flooded underpass, blocking the passage for the residents on both sides of the town. Commuters had to cross the flooded underpass putting their lives at risk.”

“We mobilised the entire sangat and initiated work to set up a proper drainage system, so that rainwater finds an easy way into the sewer. And the problem has been resolved much to the relief of the residents. Rainwater flows into the drain within no time and the underpass remains clear,” he added.

The residents said the NHAI was not unknown to our grave problem. It had been highlighted by newspapers several times but no one came to their rescue. “An authority, which has put the commuters to as much discomfort as is no longer bearable for them, has no authority to collect toll. The commuters are being openly looted and in return zero facilities are provided to them,” the residents said.

Manjinder Singh Bhola, councillor of Ward Number 2 of Sahnewal, who, along with three more councillors, held a meeting with one of the officials of the NHAI before getting the drain constructed by the residents, said: “Since the NHAI failed to resolve our genuine problem for a long time, we had to do it.” He also thanked the Kaar Seva In-charge for funding the entire work. 

Project Director of NHAI Vijay Kumar said the local residents first held a meeting with officials and took the permission for constructing the drain. Asked why the NHAI failed to do the needful despite the fact that the people were facing the problem for a long time, he just said: “Had they not done it, we would have surely done the needful.”