Hundreds of commuters were left stranded and traffic remained disrupted for nearly two hours after dairy owners from the Haibowal Dairy Complex blocked Hambran Road on Monday to protest against the Municipal Corporation’s failure to resolve their long-pending drainage issues.
The protest, which began around 10 am outside the Municipal Corporation workshop on Hambran Road, led to long traffic jams on both sides of the busy stretch.
Dairy owners sat on the road and blocked vehicular movement, forcing police personnel to divert traffic through narrow internal roads of the dairy complex and nearby localities.
The sudden road blockade left hundreds of vehicles, including cars, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, stuck in queues. Several commuters were seen asking bystanders about the reason behind the protest, while some expressed anger over the inconvenience caused. A few motorists even entered into arguments with the protesters, urging them to clear the road as they were getting late for work and other commitments.
Despite the efforts of police personnel to regulate traffic and guide vehicles through alternative routes, congestion persisted for almost two hours.
The dairy owners said they had been facing severe problems due to clogged drains in the dairy complex for several years. According to them, wastewater mixed with cow dung is overflowing onto streets as the drainage network has become choked.
Bobby, chairman of the Haibowal Dairy Association, said the situation had worsened because the Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) at the complex was either non-functional or operating far below the required capacity.
“We have been raising this issue for years, but no permanent solution has been provided. The drains are completely clogged and wastewater mixed with cow dung is not being cleared properly. As a result, many streets inside the dairy complex remain blocked and unhygienic,” he said.
The protesters alleged that the poor drainage system was creating health and sanitation concerns for dairy owners and workers. They claimed that despite repeated representations to the civic authorities, the problem remained unresolved.
The agitation ended after Municipal Corporation Zonal Commissioner Jasdev Sekhon reached the protest site and held discussions with representatives of the dairy owners. During the meeting, Sekhon assured them that the civic body would work towards finding a permanent solution to the drainage problem and address issues related to the treatment plant.
Following the assurance, the dairy owners lifted the blockade and traffic movement gradually returned to normal. However, they warned that if the issue was not resolved within a reasonable time, they would be compelled to launch a bigger agitation in the coming days.
