Ludhiana: An urban renewal project designed to transform derelict spaces beneath the city's flyovers into youth sports arenas has collapsed into neglect, leaving the sites overrun by garbage and criminal elements.
Failed Smart City initiative
Built under the central Smart City initiative, the courts — including prominent sites near the Lakkar Bridge and the municipal corporation Zone D office — were intended to provide secure venues for basketball, badminton, and volleyball. Instead, a total failure in local maintenance has stripped the venues of essential sports equipment, rendering the infrastructure useless.
Safety hazards and community concerns
Compounding the decay, local families report that the abandoned underpasses have been occupied by anti-social miscreants, creating significant safety hazards.
"We find this space safe because it's covered, but all the sports equipment is gone," a group of local teenage athletes said. "We have to bring our own basketballs and badminton rackets just to play. The entire surrounding area is filled with garbage. The authorities need to act."
Bureaucratic deadlock
The decline of the courts highlights a stark game of bureaucratic finger-pointing. Representatives from the state sports department confirmed they hold no responsibility for the infrastructure, shifting accountability back to municipal authorities who oversaw the initial construction.
Ludhiana deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain stated that the district administration had intervened to break the deadlock. "A formal letter from the district administration will be sent to the municipal corporation regarding this matter," Jain said. "Appropriate actions will be taken once the corporation responds."
Previous promises unfulfilled
This is not the first time the failure of the Smart City project has sparked public outrage. Similar complaints were raised by residents and athletes last year. At the time, then-municipal commissioner Aditya Dachalwal promised swift intervention to restore the facilities, but he was transferred shortly after, leaving the courts abandoned and the community empty-handed.
