Newly laid road at Jiwan Nagar dug up for water pipeline work

Congress councillor Gaurav Bhatti alleged that public money was being wasted due to poor planning, claiming that civic authorities were fully aware of the upcoming water supply work when the road was originally constructed. He maintained that the pipeline should have been laid first.

Pointing out that the road was cemented—making its construction cost higher than a standard bituminous road—he said, “When a newly constructed road is dug up within a year, the expenditure incurred on its construction and subsequent restoration raises serious questions over project planning.”

Area resident Dinesh Verma said the road had been built after nearly a decade of waiting, only to be “brutally” excavated. He highlighted that substantial public money spent on materials and labor is now being wasted, with additional funds required to repair the damage.

Meanwhile, MC Superintending Engineer Parveen Singla stated that the road had been constructed by the Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSIEC) and that the MC had not been consulted prior to its construction. “The water supply lines have to be laid here as the project is vital. We will ensure that the damaged portion of the road is reconstructed at the earliest,” he said.

This is, however, not an isolated incident. A similar situation was previously reported in Block J of Sarabha Nagar, where a newly paved road was subsequently torn up for infrastructure work.

Similar concerns are now being raised over the Saggu Chowk road, where construction has finished without water lines installed. Residents fear this newly built stretch will also face excavation once pipeline work reaches the area.