Ludhiana: The heavy downpour on Thursday morning came as a welcome respite from the intense humidity of the past few days, but it came at a high cost.While waterlogging is not new for the city, this time, there was garbage floating in the rainwater. Even if the water drained away, there was no hope of clearing the garbage, given the strike by sanitation workers.The area near the MC Zone A office was the worst hit, suffering from severe waterlogging and heaps of garbage. The water also entered shops and houses in many areas.A tough commuteThe drizzle started around 7am, when most students were on their way to school. Parents were in a rush to drop them but were caught unawares as a heavy downpour started around 7:15am. Many were stuck on the road and others were seen waiting on doorsteps.Describing the situation, Haibowal resident Sunil Jain said that in areas around Buddha Dariya, overflowing sewage mixed with rainwater backed up into houses, creating extremely unhygienic conditions. He said things were especially bad in areas like Chander Nagar, Deep Nagar, Shivpuri and Madhopuri.Waterlogging exacerbated the problems. Sarabjeet Singh, who was on his way to work, got stuck at Shivpuri Road. “The water was so deep in the middle of the road that the bike got stalled. I was pushed along with the currents created by passing cars,” he said.Ishant Sharma, a commuter passing through Clock Tower Road, said, “I had come for check-up in a private hospital but e-rickshaw drivers refused to wade through waterlogged roads, so I was forced to walk.”Flooding and garbage accumulation made cleaning nearly impossible, said Manjit Singh, a resident of Shivaji Nagar.Bittu speaks upFormer union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu commented on his social media page, “The harsh reality of the so-called ‘Smart City’ Ludhiana. A single spell of heavy rain has exposed the incompetence and hollow claims of the state govt and local administration. Roads are literally caving in, streets are severely waterlogged, and public safety has been completely compromised. Is this the ‘Smart City’ infrastructure our citizens were promised? The people of Ludhiana deserve better than this crumbling infrastructure and administrative apathy. Accountability must be fixed immediately.”Heavy losses incurredFormer councillor Parminder Mehta said just a few hours of rain had caused floodlike conditions, with dirty rainwater entering homes and shops and causing losses worth lakhs.Mehta added that on May 8, he had submitted a memorandum to the MC commissioner, urging the civic body to ensure thorough cleaning of sewage chambers, road gullies, stormwater drains and the Buddha Nullah before the onset of the monsoon but to no avail.Sewer cleaners on strike, work affectedMC officials said it took a long time to drain rainwater because sewer cleaners were on strike and garbage was not lifted from roads.Garbage covered road gullies, leaving no space for drainage.Narrow escape for elderly manAn elderly man riding a bicycle at around 8am in Kot Mangal Singh area fell inside an open manhole submerged in rainwater. He got entangled in the iron bars of the manhole, which stopped him from falling all the way inside. Passersby managed to pull him out but could not extricate his bicycle.Worst hit areasOld City Bazaars & Wholesale Markets (Highly Congested)These are narrow, historic, and hyper-congested commercial hubs in the heart of Ludhiana:Chaura Bazaar (Wholesale clothing/textiles)Talab Bazaar (Jewellery and accessories hub)Gur Mandi (Wholesale jaggery, sugar, and grocery market)Saban Bazaar (Soap, chemicals, and retail goods)Kesar Ganj Mandi Road (Wholesale grain and dry fruits)Partap Bazaar (Books, stationery, and general goods)2. Old City Inner Lanes & SettlementsThese are dense, traditional grid lanes branching off from the main bazaars, a combination of residential and small workshopsMaleri GaliRoopa Mistri GaliSanglan Wala Shivala RoadChaudi Sadak3. Central Commercial & Transit HubsHigh-traffic civic centers and transport points in the central city areaMata Rani Chowk (Major intersection near the Old City)Town Hall Road (Civic administration area near the MC offices)Railway Station Road (Primary transport and travel hub)Chand Cinema Road (Commercial corridor near the old theater)4. Densely Populated Residential AreasMassive residential colonies with high population density, many of which house local business owners or workersHaibowal (One of Asia’s largest dairy and residential hubs)Shivaji Nagar & New Shivaji Nagar (Dense residential areas)Hargobind Nagar (Mixed residential and small-scale textile units)5. Major Arterial & Industrial CorridorsLong, wide peripheral or connecting roads that lead to outer zones or industrial beltsChandigarh Road (Major highway corridor, heavily industrialised)Tajpur Road & Tibba Road (Areas closely tied to Ludhiana’s hosiery and dyeing industry)Hambran Road (Major connecting artery extending towards the outskirts)6. Posh Residential & Upscale Commercial HubsThese are the modern, affluent, and high-income zones of the citySarabha Nagar (Premium residential area with upscale markets)Feroze Gandhi Market (Financial capital of Ludhiana, filled with corporate offices and high-end retail)
