Thousands of commuters using the elevated highway in Ludhiana city are unknowingly putting their lives at risk every day, as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has failed to take action on damaged bridge bearings flagged by a consultancy firm over a year ago.

According to documents reviewed by HT, Feedback Infra, the consultancy appointed as the authority’s engineer for supervising the elevated road project from Samrala Chowk to Ludhiana municipal limits, had submitted a detailed inspection report on July 8, 2024, highlighting critical bearing failures at five major flyovers. The firm had clearly termed the structures unsafe for daily use, recommending immediate replacement of bearings and suggesting a deeper investigation by agencies like CRRI (Central Road Research Institute).

Shockingly, despite this serious assessment, no action has been taken by the NHAI so far. A reminder letter dated June 12, 2025, submitted to the NHAI project director, reiterated the concerns—specifically pointing out crushed bearings and cracks in the pedestal of the ISBT flyover pier cap. Yet, officials have remained silent on the matter, allowing the issue to linger for nearly a year.

The inspection report included the following technical table listing affected structures:

Solid slab bearings at Dholewal are not functioning properly and need replacement, PSC girder and RCC slab bearings at Partap Chowk are not functioning properly and need replacement. Similarly, PSC girder and RCC slab bearings at Gill Chowk and Dugri are also not functioning properly and need replacement. Solid slab bearings of the bridge near the ISBT are not functioning properly and need replacement; cracks were also observed in pier cap pedestal.

A senior engineer formerly associated with the project, in a letter, (copy with HT) raised an alarm, “These bridges were not designed to operate with damaged or crushed bearings. The load transfer mechanism gets compromised, leading to long-term structural instability. Despite spending crores on operation and maintenance contracts, not even the most basic component of the bearing has been replaced. This is sheer negligence.”

The former team leader of Feedback Infra wrote in the letter, “We had submitted the inspection report in July 2024 and again followed up in June 2025. In the ISBT flyover, we noticed that some bearings are crushed and not functioning properly. Even cracks have developed in the pedestal of the pier cap. This is a serious issue that warrants immediate intervention.”

Experts warn that failing to replace damaged bearings can lead to misalignment of the structure, excessive stress on other components, and eventual structural failure—posing a grave danger to public safety.

Residents and commuters have now started demanding accountability from NHAI. “We travel daily over these bridges. If something happens, who will be responsible?” asked Rajiv Sharma, a local commuter.

Despite repeated attempts, NHAI project director Priyanka was not available for comments.

So far, NHAI has not responded publicly to these warnings, and no repair work has begun on any of the identified bridges.