Ludhiana at a standstill, but MC at work

With cities coming to an abrupt halt due to the Covid-induced lockdown, the role of local governments became all the more crucial this year as these took on the dual challenge of fighting the pandemic while also ensuring that essential services continued running smoothly.

The Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC), the largest civic body in Punjab, too found itself facing new challenges. From conducting disinfection drives to distributing ration among labourers, the already cash-starved MC simultaneously dealt with the burden of numerous construction projects under the smart city mission.

Though development projects had to be stopped for about a month after the lockdown came into effect in March, these again picked up pace in April, after permission was granted to deploy labourers at construction sites, but with riders.

However, it was not an easy run for the department as nearly a dozen of its staffers got infected with the virus. Two Class-IV employees also succumbed to the disease. Their work did not go unnoticed as residents appreciated their services, especially those of sanitation workers, who kept working even during the lockdown to keep the city clean.

Among the biggest success stories of the civic body, in terms of development, were the reopening of the Jagraon Bridge and rejuvenation of the 114-year-old Clock Tower. The construction of Sidhwan Canal waterfront and green belts in the city brought some respite to residents amid an extremely rough year.

Towards the end of the year, however, the civic body was on the receiving end as residents and the opposition raised the long pending issues, including potholed roads, traffic chaos due to ongoing construction works, stray animal menace, choked sewer lines, among others. As the recovery drives of MC were also hit due to the lockdown, the fund-starved MC is still struggling to find a way out of financial crisis. Another major setback was that the civic body could only hold two house meetings this year.

Highs

Jagraon bridge reopened

The historic Jagraon Bridge – the lifeline of the city – got a new lease of life as it was thrown open to residents after a prolonged wait of four years in the month of September. The bow string girder bridge, built by the railways, is now the cynosure of all eyes. The bridge connects the old city with the new and has been erected by replacing the 132-year-old bridge constructed by the British in 1888.

Disinfection drives:

Soon after the lockdown was announced in the month of March, the civic body commenced disinfection drives in the city. The roads and internal streets were disinfected with sodium hypochlorite and the drive was taken up extensively till the month of May. Apart from the civic body staff, fire brigade was also involved in the process. Handy machines were also provided to councillors to disinfect internal streets, where fire tenders could not enter. However, the drives were stopped after the unlocking process started.

MC ferries labourers to station

As labourers struggled to go back to their native places after the imposition of the lockdown, the MC played a crucial role in dropping them off to the railway station, once the Union government commenced special trains for them. As there was little or no public transport during the time, MC had started a special bus service to take them to the station.

Sidhwan waterfront development project

As authorities have completed the first phase of the waterfront development project alongside Sidhwan canal in Sarabha Nagar area, the place has become a favourite haunt of residents, especially morning and evening walkers. Apart from residents who come to spend leisure time with their families, a large number of cyclists also visit the place as it has a separate cycling and jogging track. The area from Pakhowal road canal bridge to Gill road canal bridge will be developed under the second phase. Cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said leisure valleys are also being developed in BRS Nagar, Haibowal, Sarabha Nagar, Tajpur road among others areas to increase the green cover in the city. As directed by National Green Tribunal (NGT), micro forests are also being developed on the banks of Buddha Nullah. Recently, a team led by MC secretary Jasdev Sekhon took steps to beautify a park in Rose Garden, using waste material under the ‘Best-out-of-waste’ initiative.

Clock Tower restored to original glory

In shambles for years, the iconic Victoria Memorial Clock Tower (Ghanta Ghar), established in 1906 now dons a new look as the MC undertook a Rs 66 lakh project to revamp it. The mechanical clock, which was lying non-functional for a long time, has also been repaired.

Smart city projects picks up pace:

The Ludhiana Smart City Limited has started work on major projects, including Pakhowal Road ROB/RUBs, transformation of Malhar road as smart road, and rejuvenation of Sarabha Nagar market, among others. The LED streetlights project, however, has not been completed even after two years.

Swachh Survekshan 2020 ranking and award:

In the Swachh Survekshan-2020, the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) bagged the ‘Best big city in innovation and best practices’ award among cities having a population of more than 10 lakh. In all, 47 cities contested under the category, out of which the city secured 34th rank with 3, 113.06 points out of 6, 000.

Downs:

Buddha Nullah pollution continues to be a bane:

Despite the state government and MC’s tall claims of spending Rs 650 crore on the cleaning of Buddha Nullah, it continues to remain highly polluted. What’s more, authorities have also found over 950 permanent encroachments alongside it. Around 200 encroachments, in form of animal sheds and houses, were razed in December.

No end to stray dogs menace:

The stray dog sterilisation project was disrupted thrice this year as there was a shortage of staff due to labour exodus. Residents’ patience wore thin as there was no respite from dog bite cases, On December 10, nearly 15 residents, including children, were bitten by a stray dog in BRS Nagar on December 10.

No solution for solid waste:

Facing the heat from the National Green Tribunal, the civic body has started working on solid waste management. Efforts are on to start collecting segregated waste from households. But dumping of garbage on roadsides and at secondary dumping points continue to put a blot on the face of the city. The civic body has also failed to find a solution to 16 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste dumped at MC’s main dump site. Adding to the woes, A2Z company, the firm involved in lifting of garbage from the city, has served a self-termination notice, and from February 2021, the MC will have to manage garbage collection on its own.

No upgrade for fire brigade

Three years have elapsed after 16 lives, including nine of firefighters, were lost in the plastic factory tragedy of November 2017, but the state government and the civic body have failed to upgrade the firefighting equipment. The fire brigade also does not have fire safety masks, suits or hydraulic ladders. It also faces an acute staff crunch, even as the city sees a number of fire incidents from time to time.

Stray cattle menace

With MC facing a shortage of space to shelter stray cattle, the animals continue to pose grave danger to the lives of the commuters. Despite collecting over Rs 30 lakh as cow cess every month, the civic body has failed to find a solution to the problem. The MC had established a cow shelter at Burj Powat village in July, with a capacity to shelter over 150 cattle, but the civic body has failed to start the shifting process of cattle.

Road samples fail quality tests:

Even after the civic body spent around Rs 630 crore on the construction and maintenance of roads and streets in the last five years, the roads remain treacherous for commuters in the absence of quality check. Even after cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and mayor Balkar Sandhu took a strict stand against errant contractors, there is very little improvement in terms of quality of work due to the nexus between the contractors and the MC officials. Two recently roads constructed in the ward of mayor Balkar Sandhu also got damaged in the month of December.

Fuel theft cases:

In a major embarrassment to the civic body, its own staff was found involved in fuel theft. In the first week of December, MC commissioner Pardeep Sabharwal ordered the suspension of chief sanitary inspector Jagtar Singh and two sanitary inspectors, Gurinder Singh and Satinderjit Singh Bawa for the theft. Services of a contractual driver, Kulwant Singh were also terminated. Satinderjit had already been suspended in October after the mayor caught him and a driver stealing 43 litres of fuel allocated for a fogging machines.

Jobs not provided to slain firefighters’ kin

Three years have elapsed since the plastic factory fire mishap, but the kin of three out of the nine firefighters killed in the tragedy, have still not been provided jobs or compensation by the government. The affected families include those of contractual firefighters, Manpreet, Sukhdev and Vishal.

Vending zones notified, but not established

Street vendors are up in arms against the civic body as it is carrying on with the anti-encroachment drive without establishing vending zones in the city. The setting up of vending zones has been hanging fire for six years now. Recently, the MC had got 64 vending zones notified by the local bodies department, but nothing has been done at the ground level to establish the vending zones yet. Meanwhile, street vendors and shopkeepers continue to be a hurdle in the smooth flow of traffic in different parts of the city.