Voters cite battered roads, unfinished civic work ahead of Mohali’s May 26 municipal vote

Mohali’s May 26 municipal vote is turning on basic civic failures more than campaign slogans. Residents in older sectors and newly added areas are complaining about potholes, dug-up roads, waterlogging and delayed public works as parties seek control of the Municipal Corporation. The anger is especially visible in the city’s dense residential and commercial belts, where repeated repairs have not stopped road surfaces from breaking up again. The election is also the first after Punjab moved to widen Mohali’s civic footprint to include fast-growing areas such as Aerocity, IT City and sectors on the city’s edge. ### Which complaints are voters repeating most often? Hindustan Times reported on May 23 that battered roads, repeated utility digging, missing pedestrian infrastructure and traffic bottlenecks have become central complaints before the vote. The report said the problem is visible across Phase 3B1, Phase 4, Phase 7, Phase 10 and Phase 11, with the Phase 7-to-Phase 5 stretch repeatedly developing potholes even after repairs. Residents told the newspaper that road surfaces are often reopened for sewer or pipeline work soon after patching, leaving motorists to navigate uneven stretches and damaged internal roads. The report said shopkeepers have cited skidding incidents and minor accidents, while commuters have complained about damage to tyres, suspensions and shock absorbers. (hindustantimes.com) A March 2 fatal crash near Stadium Road in Phase 9 has also figured in the discussion around road conditions. Hindustan Times said a 46-year-old Nayagaon resident was killed when a BMW hit an auto-rickshaw, and a police investigation found the auto driver was trying to manoeuvre around an uneven stretch of road before the collision. (hindustantimes.com) ### Why has the city’s jurisdiction become part of the election story? Punjab’s Local Government Department began the process in October 2025 to expand the Mohali Municipal Corporation’s limits. The proposed expansion covered Aerocity, IT City and sectors including 81 to 95, according to The Tribune and Hindustan Times. A later delimitation exercise brought Aerocity, IT City, Sectors 81 and 82 and some villages into the ward map for the municipal poll, meaning residents there are voting in the civic election for the first time, according to HT Syndication’s report on the ward draft. (hindustantimes.com) The expansion has sharpened questions about capacity. (tribuneindia.com) The Tribune reported in October that officials expected the civic body’s budget and area to double and population to rise by about 50% if the plan went through, while Municipal Commissioner Parminder Pal Singh Sandhu said services and quality of life would improve. ### Are parties campaigning on old promises that never arrived? (htsyndication.com) The May 23 Hindustan Times report said voters still remember promises made in the previous municipal election cycle for smoother roads, cleared gullies, underground parking, cycling tracks, a public bicycle system, a local bus service and flyovers on Airport Road. Residents cited in the report said many of those proposals stayed on paper. (tribuneindia.com) The same report said frustration cuts across party lines because Congress won the 2021 election with a majority, while the Aam Aadmi Party now runs the Punjab government. Residents quoted by the newspaper said the party in power matters less to them than whether road surfaces, drainage and day-to-day services improve. (hindustantimes.com) ### What exactly happens on May 26? The Punjab State Election Commission posted the 2026 municipal election schedule on May 13 and later published the list of final contesting candidates on May 21. The commission’s notifications page shows the election process is underway for Punjab’s municipal bodies. The Indian Express reported that polling for all 50 wards of the Mohali Municipal Corporation will be held on May 26 and counting will take place on May 29. (hindustantimes.com) The report said voting will be conducted through ballot papers, not electronic voting machines. ### Why does this vote matter beyond one set of wards? (sec.punjab.gov.in) Mohali’s 50-ward contest is also tied to control of the mayor’s post and to management of a city whose boundaries and service obligations are changing at the same time. The Indian Express reported on May 16 that high-profile candidates and political families have entered ward races as parties position themselves for control of the corporation after results are declared. (indianexpress.com) May 29 is the next date that will test whether the campaign focus on roads and unfinished civic work translated into votes. The Punjab State Election Commission has published municipal-election notifications and candidate lists, and counting for Mohali’s 50 wards is scheduled for that day. (sec.punjab.gov.in) (indianexpress.com)