Long road to water leaves Ludhiana commuters on dune tracks.

Ludhiana: Laid only one-third in 13 months and three weeks, a major water pipeline has kept the roads of this industrial hub half-dug for that period. Officials said a bulk of the work (72%) was unfinished.The ₹1,300-crore project for canal-based water, which the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have funded, is designed to transition the city from depleting groundwater to a 24-hour potable surface supply. Yet only 28% of the civil works have been completed since Feb 2025.The slow progress has turned major roads in areas like Model Town and Sarabha Nagar into bumpy, dust-choked corridors. While 60 km of pipes have been installed, the most difficult phase — navigating the congested lanes of the Old City — is yet to begin. Land scarcity and local protests have stalled construction of overhead tanks at 20 of the 70 sites.The project is vital for the city's survival, as Ludhiana relies on 1,200 tube-wells that are exhausting the local water table rapidly. Without the shift to canal water, officials claim the city faces a total supply collapse. Mayor Inderjit Kaur suggested "closer coordination with contracted firms" to minimise public hardship. Despite these directives, the project is not slated for completion until 2028, leaving commuters to navigate three more years of "gritty" reality.
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