Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 23

Not caring two hoots for the safety of the commuters, the authorities concerned have failed to level sewer manholes even on the recently recarpeted roads in various parts of the city. The uneven manholes in many parts of the city had already been posing threat to the commuters.

Ahead of the Assembly elections, the roads are already being recarpeted by ignoring the cold weather conditions while the uneven sewerage manholes are neglected too.

The level of manholes has not been corrected on recently carpeted roads in BRS Nagar, Hambran Road, College Road and many others. Most of the manholes are below the road surface and look like big potholes, giving invitations to mishaps.

In several areas, the manholes have been covered with bitumen layer instead of correcting the level by the contractors concerned. A senior Congress leader Parminder Mehta said, “Even Mayor and MC Commissioner had earlier given instructions to the officers to do the needful to correct the level of sewerage manholes but to no avail. The manholes that are below road surface are causing mishaps. It is difficult for the sewer men to locate those manholes that have been covered with bitumen instead of correcting the level. MC or any other department concerned should make sure that the level of manhole structures should be corrected before starting the road recarpeting work as it is part of road project and contractor is paid for this work too.”

In March 2021, residents of Urban Vihar near Dugri Phase 2 had complained that the sewerage manholes were covered with bitumen instead of correcting the level by the contractor. MC’s SDO concerned had then claimed that the sewerage manholes were covered with bitumen on a temporary basis and level will be corrected later. However, the level of manholes has not been corrected to date.

A resident of Sarabha Nagar said that the level of a number of manholes was not corrected. Thus, uneven manholes cause inconvenience to the commuters.