Waterlogging haunts transporters in Ludhiana

Belying the civic body’s claims of being ‘monsoon ready’, acute water logging has returned to haunt transporters in the industrial hub after a fresh spell of rain broke the 80-day dry spell in the city.

Compounding the issue, the drain passing through Transport Nagar is blocked due to ongoing construction work to cover the Shivaji Nagar Nullah. Anticipating similar troubles in the rainy season, members of the Ludhiana Goods Transport Association met municipal corporation joint commissioner Ankur Mohindroo and urged him to take corrective steps in a time-bound manner.

Ludhiana Goods Transport Association president JP Aggarwal said, “Transport Nagar is a low-lying area so rain water from adjoining areas accumulates in the locality. This rainwater should ideally drain into the Shivaji Nagar nullah through an internal drain, but the nullah has remained choked this year due to ongoing construction work. Goods stored in godowns are damaged due to waterlogging.”

Mahindroo reportedly assured the transporters that the internal drain in the area will be cleared by the weekend, but association members contended that this was not a permanent solution to the problem.

Spread over 114 acres, Transport Nagar is dependent on sewer lines that were built in the 1980s. These sewer lines have not been replaced though the pressure on the existing infrastructure has increased multifold with the increase in population. At present, around 500 transporters are working in the area.

Slamming the MC for failing to improve the state of roads, transporters said that vehicles run the risk of overturning on the pot-hole riddled roads.

The association’s press secretary, Jagdish Singh Jassowal, said they had been requesting authorities to clean the sewer lines and install storm sewers in the area for years, but to no avail. “These officials never step out of their offices to check the ground reality, and transporters have to bear the brunt each year. Waterlogging makes it difficult to step out of the office.”

“Authorities have also failed to carry out a cleanliness drive in the area, due to which the transporters have to work in unhygienic conditions,” said Jassowal.

The joint commissioner remained unavailable for comment, despite repeated attempts. MC executive engineer Ranbir Singh said directions had been issued to clean the internal drain in Transport Nagar. “Officials concerned have also been directed to allow the internal Transport Nagar drain to flow into the Shivaji Nagar drain by mid-June.”