Mohali: The so-called ‘VIP’ roads of Mohali have lost their prestige, as the ongoing monsoon has turned many of them into stretches of slush, potholes, and waterlogging. Roads once symbolising development and affluence are now drawing public ire for their deteriorating conditions, exposing the civic authorities’ failure in maintaining basic infrastructure.From Airport Road in Mohali to VIP Road in Zirakpur, Lohgarh Road, Ghazipur Road, Kharar Road, Shivalik City’s internal lanes, and Nada Road in Nayagaon, several key stretches have suffered extensive damage. Residents are not only inconvenienced but also concerned about their safety and health, as the roads have turned treacherous for both vehicles and pedestrians.Nada Road in Nayagaon, once a busy arterial road, has become nearly impassable. The rains have reduced it to a swampy stretch where vehicles routinely get stuck in thick mud and slush. Residents describe the road as a clear example of municipal apathy, with no visible attempt at drainage or maintenance.In Kharar’s Shivalik City, the situation is equally grim. Despite the sewerage and manhole installation being completed a year ago, internal roads have not been repaired. Now, with heavy rains, the unpaved roads have turned into mosquito breeding grounds, raising fears of vector-borne diseases like dengue and malaria. The risk is especially high for children, the elderly, and even ambulances trying to navigate the area.Advocate S S Dhanjal said, “The roads in Shivalik Homes, Sector 127, and adjoining areas have become death traps. The sewerage work was completed over a year ago, but the authorities have failed to remove the dug-up soil or repair the broken roads. The condition is not just inconvenient — it is life-threatening.”Zirakpur’s VIP Road — home to luxury residential complexes and shopping hubs — fails to live up to its name. Waterlogged potholes, eroded surfaces, and lack of timely repairs have made it a commuter’s nightmare. The adjoining Lohgarh and Ghazipur roads are no better, with residents lamenting that these important stretches remain ignored year after year, only to collapse under the first spell of rain.Ankur Bhasin resident of a society on VIP raid, “VIP road? Who says this? It losses its tag as VIP road as it has become a rural road instead. We bought house in society thinking that it falls on VIP road but now we regret.”Meanwhile, Airport Road in Mohali, considered one of the city’s most prestigious and high-traffic corridors, has once again caved in with the arrival of monsoon. A portion of the road near the Sector 67/80 dividing line sank recently, prompting emergency repair work. The damaged stretch has been barricaded and closed for vehicular movement, adding to traffic woes in the area.Jagjit Singh, resident of Sector 67 said, “When airport road was constructed, we thought that the prices of our plots will rise but with the passage of time the road lost its sheen and is now either marred with traffic chaos or forms craters every monsoon.”Angry residents across the district have started writing to senior government officials, demanding immediate intervention and long-term road solutions. “We pay high property taxes and live on what are supposed to be premium roads, but the conditions are pathetic. If this is what VIP infrastructure looks like, what can common areas expect?” questioned a resident of Zirakpur’s VIP Road.With complaints mounting and public patience wearing thin, citizens are demanding accountability from the municipal corporations and local authorities. Many have urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and senior civic officials to conduct ground visits and implement urgent repair and drainage solutions before the situation worsens.
