The city’s poor performance in the Swachh Bharat Mission rankings has once again come in focus as heaps of garbage have blocked a key service lane near the Scooter Market under the bus stand flyover in Model Town. Notably, Ludhiana was ranked 39th among cities in the National Cleanliness Survey, reflecting gaps in civic management.
For the past three days, the service lane leading towards the scooter market has remained choked with scattered garbage, causing inconvenience to commuters, shopkeepers and visitors. The foul smell and unhygienic surroundings have further worsened the situation in one of the city’s commercial pockets.
Baljinder Singh, chairman of the Scooter Market Association, said the issue had been repeatedly taken up with the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC). “We have submitted a written complaint regarding the scattered garbage near the market and the pathetic condition of washrooms. We are paying rent to the MC for these shops but are not getting basic facilities in return,” he said.
Echoing similar concerns, Balkar Singh, a shopkeeper in the market, said the ongoing problem had started affecting shop owners’ livelihoods. “We are suffering from multiple issues. Due to the foul smell and garbage scattered all around, customers avoid visiting the market. There is a static compactor installed near the market, but its gates remain closed. The MC has failed to process the waste properly. At the same time, the civic body is awarding tenders worth hundreds of crores to private firms but the ground situation remains unchanged,” he alleged.
Shopkeepers said the blocked lane had also disrupted movement of vehicles and pedestrians, adding to daily chaos in the area. They demanded immediate intervention to clear the garbage and ensure regular lifting to prevent recurrence.
Responding to the complaint, Vipan Malhotra, Health Officer, said, “I have already directed the lifting staff to clear the area after receiving the complaint on Tuesday. The garbage will be removed soon.”
Residents and traders, however, pointed out that such recurring lapses highlighted the reasons behind Ludhiana’s poor showing in cleanliness rankings. They said that if basic issues like timely waste lifting and maintenance of public facilities were not addressed, the city’s position in national surveys was unlikely to improve.