Another road cave-in in Ludhiana has raised fresh concerns over the condition of city roads and underground infrastructure, with a portion of the road near Sharma Halwai Chowk sinking.The cave-in was reported in front of Timmy Baker, opposite City Plaza, on Suman Hospital Road, shortly before the stretch leading towards Basant Art (Painter) Road and Deep Hospital Road.The incident comes after similar road cave-ins reported at Saggu Chowk, Kitchlu Nagar and Mingumri Chowk. A major cave-in was also recently reported at the busy Model Town Chowk.The recurrence of such incidents at different locations has left residents questioning whether the Municipal Corporation is addressing the underlying causes or relying primarily on patchwork repairs.At Sharma Halwai Chowk, residents said the problem had surfaced earlier at the same spot. A small cavity had appeared on the road and the Municipal Corporation had been informed. The affected portion was subsequently filled with soil and repaired. However, the road has now sunk again, with the affected area considerably larger than before.“This is not the first time the road has sunk here. Earlier, the cavity was smaller and it was filled, but the problem has returned in a bigger form. This raises question about what is happening underneath the road,” said resident Jaskaran Singh.Another resident, Amanpreet Singh, said the site should be properly inspected before another repair is undertaken.“If there is a damaged sewer line, water leakage or seepage underneath, filling the cavity will only provide temporary relief. The road could sink again and somebody could get hurt,” he said.Residents said repeated cave-ins in busy commercial and residential areas could pose a safety risk to motorists and pedestrians, particularly when cavities develop without warning.The recent incident at Model Town Chowk is particularly significant as the area witnesses heavy movement of vehicles and pedestrians and is surrounded by hospitals, a gurdwara, schools, temples and the main market.Resident Arvind Sharma said the latest cave-in should not be treated as an isolated incident.“After Saggu Chowk, Kitchlu Nagar, Mingumri Chowk and Model Town Chowk, we now have another road cave-in near Sharma Halwai Chowk. When the same problem keeps appearing at different locations, the civic authorities need to look beyond patchwork repairs and examine the underground infrastructure,” Sharma said.He said the Municipal Corporation should conduct a technical inspection of the site, identify the reason for the sinking and undertake permanent repairs.“A road should not keep sinking at the same place after being repaired. The cause has to be identified and rectified. Public safety must remain the priority,” Sharma said.