Ludhiana: Beautification schemes in Punjab’s wasteful pre-election spending have outraged locals, who say they need basic running water and roads instead of a luxury gate to a foul-smelling river.When the municipal corporation floated a ₹39 lakh tender recently to construct a decorative entrance in Haibowal, residents pointed out that the proposed arch will stand amid heavily potholed roads next to the polluted Buddha Dariya.The gate project is part of a broader pattern of contentious civic spending, which includes floating tenders for a swimming pool near the toxic river and a commercial vending zone built over a local green belt.A senior municipal official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, admitted the projects were fast-tracked under political pressure. Administrative objections were reportedly overruled by politicians looking to appease voters before the polls.“The roads have developed massive potholes right at the entrance of our neighborhood,” Haibowal resident Richa Gupta said. “Instead of fixing them, they are planning these gates. No one cares about a gate when their vehicles are being damaged by the roads.”Locals argue that the civic body is ignoring severe deficiencies in water supply, sanitation, encroachment, and air quality in favor of superficial developments.Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora, who represents Ludhiana West in the state assembly, had originally proposed decorative gates for the city’s main boundary entry points. However, municipal officials quietly dropped that plan, diverting the money to random neighborhood wards instead.“This is nothing but vote-bank politics,” said Rajinder Singh, a resident of Bank Colony, who noted that previous vanity projects — including converting public parks into volleyball courts — now sit abandoned and unmaintained. “There is a clear need to fix our basic problems first.”
