Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
MP Seechewal flags faulty NH44 culvert causing flooding, demands urgent fix
Babushahi Bureau
Jalandhar (Punjab), May 23, 2025: Rajya Sabha member and environmentalist Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has raised serious concerns over the faulty design of culverts constructed by the National Highway Authority (NHA) on national highways, which is causing waterlogging and flooding in nearby residential areas.
In a letter addressed to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Sant Seechewal demanded accountability from NHA officials for constructing a culvert on NH 44 that is four feet higher than the drainage level beneath it.
This flawed design on the Amritsar-Jalandhar route, near the Kala Sanghiya Drain, has led to water overflowing into the homes of residents during rainfall.
Sant Seechewal visited the site today and strongly criticized the National Highway Authority’s site director, calling it “shameful” that such a basic engineering mistake could occur despite the presence of skilled engineers. He emphasized that development works should provide comfort and safety to the public, not cause them hardship.
Officials from the Punjab Drainage Department, present at the site, informed Sant Seechewal that since September 2024, they had sent five letters to the NHA project director highlighting the issue, but no response was received.
Meanwhile, the Ward No. 1 counselor echoed these concerns, stating that despite repeated requests to lower the culvert by four feet, the NHA had failed to address the problem.
Sant Seechewal urged the authorities to take immediate corrective action to prevent further inconvenience to residents and to ensure that future infrastructure projects are designed with greater care and accountability.