Ludhiana, July 30
A few hours of rainfall in Ludhiana today exposed the hollow claims of the city’s “Smart City” status, presenting instead the picture of a city in distress. In a statement issued here, former Chairman of the Punjab Large Industrial Development Board and former President of the Ludhiana Urban Congress Committee, Pawan Dewan, said that the heavy claims made by the Municipal Corporation and the state government regarding the city’s development were exposed by just a few hours of rain.
Dewan pointed out that in the Gurdev Nagar area, a car fell into a deep crater after a portion of the road suddenly caved in. It took considerable effort to pull the vehicle out, and the car sustained significant damage. Similarly, on Model Town Road, a passenger-filled e-rickshaw overturned in rainwater after the road gave way. Passersby rushed to help and safely rescued the passengers. According to local residents, similar incidents have occurred in the past as well, yet the Municipal Corporation officials have failed to take any effective action.
Dewan further said that severe waterlogging caused widespread inconvenience across several parts of the city. Areas including Janakpuri, Ganesh Nagar, Hargobind Nagar, Hazuri Road, Chaura Bazaar, and many other major roads remained submerged, disrupting normal life. In several localities, rainwater entered homes and shops, causing extensive damage to household goods and commercial property. In another incident, an elderly man on his way to work in Kot Mangal Singh fell along with his bicycle into an open sewer. Fortunately, he escaped without suffering serious injuries.
Dewan emphasized that if this is the model of a “Smart City” and development, it raises serious questions about the quality of governance and infrastructure. He said that just a few hours of rain had exposed the true condition of Ludhiana, revealing it as a city struggling with poor civic infrastructure rather than a Smart City. He added that most roads in the city remain dug up in the name of development, while today’s rainfall has exposed the poor quality of construction at several locations.
Dewan urged the government to stop spending public money on self-promotional advertisements and instead prioritize essential public infrastructure, durable roads, effective drainage systems, and projects that genuinely serve the interests of the people.