Ludhiana: Political bickering over a trenchless sewer project has left motorists driving over dangerous subterranean voids.Three years ago, the municipal corporation proposed this system to replace the city’s failing, century-old brick drainage network. The ₹154-crore plan specifically targeted the highly vulnerable DMC Road stretch from Saggu Chowk to the Dhami Eye Care Centre— the exact site of Friday’s massive road collapse.However, the state govt cancelled the tenders abruptly following a bitter dispute over cost. The project was split into two major phases: the first covering the disaster-prone Malhar and DMC roads, and the second targeting Panj Peer Road, which has also suffered multiple cave-ins.The Punjab water supply and sewerage board blocked the initiative, arguing that traditional excavation and pipeline installation would cost half the price of the advanced trenchless method.Municipal officials countered that trenchless technology was essential for the densely populated area, as it allows subterranean replacement without disrupting heavy surface traffic or requiring extensive road closures.“Trenchless technology was highly effective because it required no surface digging,” a municipal official said on the condition of anonymity. “Once the govt dropped the plan, we did not push it further. Now, we simply react and patch the road whenever a new cave-in occurs.”The official claimed that while structural failures had escalated over the years, recent incidents had decreased marginally. Local residents, however, expressed growing fury over the systemic inaction and the perceived threat to public safety.Haibowal resident Sunita Gupta said: “For years, we have seen roads cave in due to water and sewer leaks, yet authorities refuse to fix the underlying problem permanently. We need concrete infrastructure solutions so people do not feel unsafe simply driving through their own city.”
