Ludhiana, March 18
Former District Congress Committee Ludhiana (Urban) President and Ex‑Chairman of the Punjab Large Industrial Development Board, Pawan Dewan, along with several Congress leaders, submitted a memorandum to Ludhiana Municipal Commissioner Dr. Neeru Katyal Gupta. The memorandum underscored the severe civic neglect in Ludhiana (West), where residents are enduring broken roads, erratic water supply, overflowing sewerage, faulty streetlights, neglected parks, uncollected garbage and pervasive lack of cleanliness.
After submitting the memorandum, Dewan issued a statement here today, expressing astonishment that the Minister for Local Government, Punjab—who himself represents the Ludhiana (West) constituency—has allowed residents to suffer such extreme hardships due to lack of basic civic amenities. Taking a pointed dig at the Minister, Dewan remarked, “If the Minister cannot set his own constituency in order, one can well imagine the plight of the remaining 116 assembly constituencies across Punjab.”
Meanwhile, giving the details of the memorandum, Dewan said that the residents of Ludhiana (West) are enduring an unprecedented civic crisis that spans every essential amenity. “The condition of roads has deteriorated to such an extent that accidents have become a grim daily reality. Massive potholes have reached alarming proportions, leaving commuters to face a harrowing ordeal. Several stretches have virtually disappeared, as municipal authorities have failed to undertake even basic patchwork or re‑carpeting. This neglect is particularly shocking given the presence of numerous educational institutions and hospitals in the constituency”, he asserted.
Dewan further said that equally grave is the issue of irregular water supply. “Lofty assurances of round‑the‑clock water availability have collapsed into a stark reality where residents are not even receiving water thrice a day. Immediate corrective measures are not just desirable – they are indispensable.” He added that the constituency also suffers under the dual burden of an overflowing and choked sewerage system. “The foul stench emanating from stagnant sewage has made it nearly impossible for residents to breathe fresh air, turning daily life into a struggle”, he pointed out demanding that the O&M Cell must rise to the occasion, take responsibility and resolve these pressing issues without delay.
Highlighting another significant issue, Dewan said that the menace of non‑functional streetlights has created a serious safety hazard, with the risk of accidents during nighttime increasing manifold. “The irony is glaring—while some localities remain flooded with unnecessary light even during the day, many others are plunged into complete darkness at night. The public safety cannot be left at the mercy of negligence”, he observed.
While stating that the majority of parks in Ludhiana (West) are lying in utter neglect, Dewan said, “Cleanliness is absent, wild overgrowth has taken over and the aesthetic charm of these public spaces has been destroyed. The most glaring example is the Rose Garden, one of Ludhiana’s largest and most iconic parks, now abandoned without upkeep. This dismal state has robbed walkers of safe spaces and forced children indoors,” he rued.
Dewan also said that the daily sweeping of roads is not being carried out, leaving thoroughfares littered and untidy. He added that this neglect portrays a shabby picture of the constituency and undermines health. “Ludhiana has earned the dubious distinction of being ranked the second dirtiest city in India in the Swachh Survekshan 2025 report—a damning indictment of its sanitation system. The absence of door‑to‑door collection and lack of dustbins have forced residents to dump waste in the open. Either systematic door‑to‑door lifting must be ensured or adequate dustbins and garbage points must be established, as done in cities like Chandigarh”, said Dewan.
Dewan concluded his statement by emphasizing that the memorandum had comprehensively detailed all these issues, coupled with a firm request to the Municipal Commissioner to take immediate and necessary steps to resolve them without any further delay.
