With road restoration work remaining stalled for nearly two weeks after sewerage repairs, residents of Basant Nagar near New Shiv Puri have expressed concern that the damaged roads will aggravate waterlogging in the locality during the monsoon. Residents, particularly those living in Lanes 4 and 5, said restoration work had begun around a month ago but came to a halt midway, leaving roads dug up just as the rainy season set in.Road damaged after construction work in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)Situated close to Buddha Nullah, Basant Nagar witnesses waterlogging almost every monsoon. Residents said the unfinished roads are likely to worsen the situation this year, making it difficult for pedestrians and two-wheeler riders to navigate the area even after light rainfall.Rajesh Kumar, a resident of the locality, said the area faces severe waterlogging every year, but the incomplete road restoration has heightened residents’ concerns. “During the recent rainfall, water accumulated up to knee level, making it difficult for people to even step out of their homes. If the authorities were aware that the monsoon was approaching, the work should have been completed well in advance,” he said.Another resident, Sunita Devi, alleged that despite the authorities being aware of the locality’s recurring flooding problem, only temporary measures are undertaken each year instead of a permanent solution. “The road restoration work had remained incomplete for the past two weeks and feared that heavy rain would worsen the situation,” she said. Recalling the previous spell of rain, she added that water had entered her house, forcing the family to shift to the second floor after the entire ground floor was inundated.Echoing similar concerns, Vikrant Sharma said the roads had been left dug up at the onset of the monsoon. “The work should have been completed before the rains. With Buddha Nullah located nearby, the locality is already vulnerable to flooding, and the damaged roads have only added to the hardship faced by residents,” he said.Residents urged the civic authorities to immediately resume the stalled restoration work and complete it before heavy rainfall further deteriorates the condition of the locality.Area councillor Neeraj Ahuja said, “The road restoration work will be completed at the earliest.”Responding to residents’ concerns over the timing of the project, he said that the proposal had received administrative approval only recently and the payment bill had just been cleared, following which the work was taken up.”Sub-divisional officer (SDO) Andhul Garcha did not respond to repeated calls and texts.