Project incomplete, newly built road starts peeling off in Ward 28

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Services

Ludhiana, November 8

Though the reconstruction work on the main Sua Road (from Peepal Chowk to Delhi Road) in the Gobindgarh area of Ward 28, here, has not been completed within the deadline, the top layer of the constructed portion of the road has started tearing off from various points.

Raising questions over the “poor” reconstruction work and “failed” samples of road material, members of the Sua Road Industrial Association had written to the Chief Minister, Local Bodies Minister and other government authorities in August this year but no action has been taken till date in this regard.

After starting the ready mix concrete (RMC) work on Sua Road in December 2020, the contractor concerned was supposed to complete the project (with an estimated cost of Rs 3 crore) within six months.

The association members said the stretch that was constructed had started peeling off within a short time while the remaining stretch was not constructed. The work was stopped around three months ago.

In March 2021, the industrialists had complained to the MC about the “poor” quality of the constructed portion of the road. Following their complaint, a notice was sent to the contractor as wet-mix was being used instead of lean concrete by ignoring PWD specifications. The Junior Engineer concerned had in his report raised questions over the lack of thickness in the middle of a RMC panel. As per the JE’s report, the industrialists had also complained that a panel of the RMC was laid without using steel at night.

VS Gill, a member of the association, said: “RMC panel’s thickness was found to be 10 inches instead of 12 inches. Its strength was not up to the mark when the industrialists had got the samples tested. Road gullies were not even constructed before starting the road work while the proper level of the road was not maintained. The constructed road portion has already started breaking.”

The members of the association have demanded from the government to take action on their complaint. They also wanted action against persons responsible for the poor quality road construction work.

A member said: “We have been facing harassment due to the poor quality work and delay in completion of the project. The industries have suffered financial losses in crores of rupees as the road had remained blocked for the construction work for a long time but the project was never completed.”

The industrialists demanded from the Municipal Corporation to demolish the poorly constructed stretch and get it reconstructed. They said the project should be completed at the earliest. They also demanded a permanent solution to resolve the overflowing sewage problem on the stretch.

MC’s Superintending Engineer Parveen Singla said he would ask the Executive Engineer and SDO to take required steps.

No action taken by MC despite complaints

After finding “flaws” and “failed” samples, industrialists had complained to the Chief Minister, Department of Local Bodies and other government authorities against the “poorly” constructed main Sua Road. However, the Municipal Corporation failed to take action in this regard.