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Journalism of Courage
The repair of a severely damaged road stretch in Phase 4, Mohali located along HM Houses and leading towards Bougainvillea Park has remained stalled for the past three months. A 180-foot broken section of the road, which was earlier scraped by the contractor for resurfacing, has been left unattended, making the area unsafe for commuters.
Residents said multiple two-wheeler riders have fallen due to the uneven and scraped surface, while a girl was seriously injured after slipping two days ago. Shopkeepers and locals warned that the road could trigger a major accident anytime.
The main controversy centres around former GMADA executive engineer N S Kalsi, who reportedly argued that the road must be cut deeper so natural water flow can move towards the Phase-5 drainage line. However, MC officials maintain that the testing reports support the current construction method and that the remaining patch is unnecessarily being held up.
Municipal Corporation Chief Engineer Naresh Batta stated that the road’s technical testing report was obtained from a major institute in Sector 26. Based on the report, the entire stretch is supposed to receive a premix layer. The remaining part of the road — nearly 2 km — on the rear side has already been completed, leaving only the 180-foot patch pending.
According to the Chief Engineer, the Municipal Corporation team reached the site four times with road-laying machines, but the retired engineer allegedly blocked the work each time. In some instances, he said, the engineer even stood in front of the machine to prevent the work.
Councillors trade charges
Phase-4 councillor Rupinder Reena insisted the road is not being constructed technically correctly. She argued that the stretch should be cut deeper and rebuilt so that stormwater can flow naturally towards Phase 5. She alleged that Phase-5 councillor Baljeet Kaur is not allowing this to happen.”
Councillor Baljeet Kaur dismissed the allegation, saying: “We are not creating any obstruction. The road must be completed immediately. Anyone who tries to block the work should face legal action.”
Shopkeepers and residents of Phase 5 said the broken portion poses imminent danger of accidents.
Residents Ish Kumar and shopkeeper Shyam Lal along with other shopkeepers suggested that if full repair cannot be done right away, at least the potholes can be filled temporarily so accidents stop happening.
They added that lack of coordination among stakeholders has left a small 180-foot patch unresolved for months.
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