Ludhiana: A significant road cave-in at the Model House main market caused traffic gridlock and social media outrage this week, as residents slammed city officials for using sacred-plant pots as makeshift barricades.The collapse, which occurred on Monday, was left unrepaired for over 24 hours due to the Republic Day public holiday. In lieu of formal repairs, municipal workers initially surrounded the hole with tulsi plant pots and parked a water tanker over the site to prevent motorists from falling in. The use of tulsi — a plant considered sacred in Hindu faith — sparked immediate protests from locals who deemed the move disrespectful. Officials eventually replaced the tulsi pots with standard greenery following the backlash.
Social activist Arvind Sharma blamed the cave-in on reckless infrastructure projects. “Drilling is taking place in every nook and cranny without regard for weather or safety norms,” he said. “Improper drilling has damaged underground water and sewerage lines, creating voids that lead to these collapses.”Heavy rainfall on Tuesday morning further hampered recovery efforts, delaying the arrival of repair crews and intensifying traffic congestion in the busy market area. Superintending engineer Ekjot Singh of the municipal corporation (MC) confirmed that while weather had caused delays, staff were on-site by Tuesday afternoon to stabilise the area.However, residents pointed to a broader pattern of negligence linked to the World Bank-funded 24-hour water supply scheme. Community leaders alleged that contractors were failing to restore road surfaces properly after laying pipelines, leaving behind hazardous conditions. “The quality of this work needs to be investigated,” one of the residents said. “We need action against the contractors before these cave-ins cause a fatal accident.“ MSID:: 127622932 413 |
