Garbage chokes Ladowali Road, residents slam MC’s neglect
Ladowali Road, a key artery in the city connecting vital government offices, educational institutions and residential colonies, is reeling under unchecked garbage dumping. A vacant plot on the stretch — once the site of a fuel station — has become a dump yard, spilling waste onto the main road and raising serious health concerns.
Despite repeated complaints and tall promises by the authorities, the area remains buried under waste, affecting hundreds who use the road daily.
The mess has spread beyond a vacant plot and now spills over on to the road, forcing schoolchildren, office-goers and residents to cover their faces when they cross the stretch. On either side of the road lie government schools, residential colonies, a college and the offices of the Agriculture Department, yet the garbage remains untouched.
“This is not just a nuisance anymore, it’s a health hazard,” said Kanwaljeet Singh, a local trader. “The Municipal Corporation talks big about smart cities, but here garbage is lying right close to the DC and SSP offices.”
During monsoons, the situation worsens. Plastic bags, food waste and biomedical scraps get washed onto the road, creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and stray animals. The site once meant for fuel station has become a dumping ground for waste from nearby areas, with no fencing, bins or signage to regulate disposal.
Children attending schools on the stretch walk past heaps of rotting waste daily. Residents of nearby colonies complain of a constant stench and fear of disease. “The filth is right on the main road adjacent to the petrol pump,” said Ravneet Kaur, a homemaker from P&T Colony.
She said despite multiple representations to the Jalandhar MC, no meaningful steps have been taken. Locals say that waste collection trucks visit irregularly and often leave behind more trash than they collect.
“Tall promises are made during every campaign but none of them reach here,” said Raj Kumar, a retired government employee. “This road is a lifeline for hundreds, yet it has been turned into a dump.”
“The lack of waste segregation, absence of penalties for illegal dumping and no clear plan for garbage clearance have worsened the crisis", he added.
“While the Municipal Corporation claims to be modernising waste management, ground reality tells another story. Until concrete action is taken, the problem won’t resolve", said another resident, Kavita.
Jalandhar