In several areas of Jalandhar city, roads have been dug up, causing inconvenience to residents. The roads were excavated as part of the ongoing Surface Water Project. Notably, with rainfall on January 23 and January 27, the dug up roads have turned out to be a concern for residents even more.
Notably, the reason behind the dug up roads in multiple areas of Jalandhar including GTB Nagar is because the companies have missed their deadline multiple times.
The surface water project was supposed to be completed by September 2025, however, the deadline was then pushed to December 2025. A total of 98 km of pipeline was suppose to be laid in Jalandhar.
The surface water project was started for conserving groundwater by replacing it with canal water. It was originally started in 2021 and was to be completed in three years. Now, the current update is- it is expected to be completed in 2026.
A penalty of Rs 7.5 crore has been imposed on the executing agency Larsen & Toubro Ltd.
Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal had issued directions to department concerned to take action against executing agency for the inordinate delay in this project, following which this penalty was imposed.
Chairing a high-level review meeting of ongoing development projects in the district, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal said that the delay in the surface water project had severely affected daily life and traffic movement in the city.
He categorically stated that any further unwarranted delay would not be tolerated and warned that stricter action would be initiated against the executing agency if timelines were not adhered to.
He informed that the project is now expected to be completed within the current year and directed officials of the Jalandhar Smart City Mission to closely monitor both the deadline and the quality of work. He further emphasized that the work must go full swing once the bitumen plants start around end of February.
Taking a tough stance against the frequent and unplanned digging of roads across the city, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal has issued strict directions to all government departments, municipal bodies, utilities and private agencies to streamline excavation works and prevent inconvenience to the public.
In an official order, the Deputy Commissioner observed that various agencies are repeatedly digging up roads to lay underground pipelines, cables and other utilities without proper planning or verification of existing infrastructure. Such practices, he said, have led to damage to newly constructed roads, traffic disruptions, wastage of public resources and inconvenience to residents.
He further mentioned that in several cases, roads are excavated immediately after being repaired or rebuilt, while uncoordinated works also damage water supply lines, sewerage systems and other essential services.
To address the issue, Dr. Aggarwal has made it mandatory for all executing agencies to conduct a detailed survey of the existing pipeline, sewerage and utility network before starting any excavation and certificate verifying the survey must be submitted in advance by the department concerned. No road — whether under the Government, Municipal Corporation, PWD or any other authority — can be dug without prior written permission from the competent authority and coordination with all concerned departments, he added.
He further directed that the responsibility for preventing damage to existing infrastructure will rest entirely with the executing agency. Any officer or authorised representative undertaking work without following the prescribed procedure will be held personally accountable. All worksites must display awareness boards mentioning “Work in Progress,” the name of the executing agency and the expected completion date for public convenience.