Recently recarpeted Ludhiana's Pakhowal, Dugri roads start peeling off

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 30

As roads are being recarpeted amid the winter season against the ‘specifications’, a few more recently laid stretches have started peeling off.

No payment to contractor if road gets damaged

The contractor will not get any payment if any road work is found to be of poor quality. I have already given strict instructions to officials concerned that no payment will be released to contractor for poor road work. —Balkar Singh Sandhu, Mayor

Now, resident are raising questions as a portion of Dugri Road has started peeling off within just one day after recarpeting while a portion of Pakhowal Road too has started getting damaged within just four days after recarpeting.

Raising questions over the quality of work on Pakhowal Road, the Council of RTI Activist has demanded a vigilance probe in this regard. A complaint has been sent to the Chief Secretary, Punjab, and DGP (Vigilance Bureau), seeking inquiry.

Rohit Sabharwal, President, Council of RTI Activists, alleged that Pakhowal Road was recarpeted four days ago and it seemed to be a sub-standard work. He said what was the purpose of constructing sub-standard roads and wasting public money paid as taxes? He further said road project information boards were not displayed by the Municipal Corporation.

Arvind Sharma, a city resident said, “Main Pakhowal Road has started peeling off at different points. I have complained to the authorities concerned this morning.”

Raising questions over the quality of road and monitoring, a member of the National Road Safety Council and a resident of Durgi, Kamaljit Soi said, “Newly laid Dugri Road peeled off in less than 12 hours. It is a complete wastage of money. We are getting a road sample tested from a laboratory. The richest Corporation of Punjab with a budget of over 1,100 crore has failed to provide basic amenities to residents.”

Sharing his concern over the safety of commuters, he said, “Ludhiana roads have become the riskiest in the country for commuting.” The Municipal Corporation (MC) is recarpeting Dugri Road. The civic body is getting Pakhowal Road recarpeted from the Ludhiana Improvement Trust.