Despite repeated announcements by local political leaders and assurances from the administration that tenders would soon materialise, several major roads in Amritsar are yet to be recarpeted, leaving commuters struggling with deteriorating conditions.
Large potholes on these roads have become a daily hazard for residents, leading to traffic congestion and inconvenience. The situation worsens during rainfall, when these potholes fill with water and pose a serious risk to commuters' safety. The delay is primarily attributed to the incomplete tendering process of two key road projects under the Amritsar Municipal Corporation.
As per information, the tender for upgrading and beautifying 25 major roads has not been opened due to the non-receipt of funds from the government. The deadline for opening this tender has already been extended seven times. Similarly, tenders for the second phase of mechanical sweeping of inner and outer city roads have also been postponed, with the latest date now fixed for April 6.
As a result, both projects remain in limbo. If the tenders are not finalised soon, the upcoming monsoon season could further delay recarpeting and other road works. Meanwhile, a separate project announced by the Central Government to upgrade 15 kilometres of city roads to international standards has also been put on hold due to a lack of funds, despite the appointment of a consultant.
The Rs 55-crore project for the beautification and upgradation of 25 roads was floated on January 30, 2025, but has yet to make progress. The roads included under the tender comprise key stretches such as McLeod Road-Sadar police station, Putlighar Chowk to India Gate, Bhandari Bridge to Putlighar Chowk-Pipli Sahib Gurdwara Road, Shivala Road from Hussainpura Chowk to Mall Road, Rani Ka Bagh-Sadar police station, Basant Avenue main road, Shastri Nagar main road, 100 Feet Road from GT Road to Sultanwind Road, the Court Road stretch from Rialto Chowk to Bhandari Bridge, Court Road, Chamarang Road from GT Road to Sultanwind Road, Kashmir Avenue main road, Bhandari Bridge to Qila Gobindgarh, Majitha Road from Hussainpura Chowk to Guru Gobind Singh Chowk, Old Jail Road, Kitchlu Chowk to Nari Niketan, the stretch beneath the elevated road from Bhandari Bridge to Alpha One, Islamabad, Sher Shah Suri Road from GT Road to the bypass, the Civil Hospital Road from Company Bagh Gate to Rambagh Chowk, Taylor Road from Mall Road to Court Road, Jhabal Road to Dairy Complex, Albert Road-Maqbool Road Chowk to the railway station, Lawrence Road from MM Malviya Road to Old Jail Road, and Sultanwind Chowk to the UBDC canal.
Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia said that the government would soon release a confirmed grant for the projects. He expressed confidence that tenders for the 25 roads would be opened next week and work allotted by April 15. He added that there would be no shortage of funds and that the mechanical sweeping tenders would also be finalised soon.