Ludhiana: Roundabout returns at Bharat Nagar Chowk after over 2 decades

Roundabout has returned to Bharat Nagar Chowk, one of the busiest crossroads of the city, after 28 years.

After construction of an elevated road on the stretch from Bharat Nagar Chowk to Octroi Post on Ferozepur Road, the authorities have changed the design of the intersection and started constructing a traffic circle to manage the flow of traffic.

The ongoing construction at the intersection is viewed by residents as a positive step toward managing traffic flow more efficiently. The new roundabout is expected to ease congestion and enhance the overall movement of vehicles at this vital intersection point. The diameter of the roundabout will be around 40 metres.

The locals also demanded to bring back the iconic statue of war hero Major Bhupinder Singh along with the Patton Tank, which was captured by Indian Army during 1965 Indo-Pak war at the crossroad.

Earlier, the statue of the war hero and the tank were installed in the centre of Bharat Nagar Chowk on October 30, 1979. The statue was shifted near the main gate of Government College for Girls on December 7, 1995 after the rotary was razed.

After construction of the elevated road was initiated, the statue along with the tank was shifted near the main gate of Nehru rose garden at college Road.

Major Bhupinder Singh was the Squadron Commander of Hudson Horse in the 1965 Indo-Pak war. On September 19, 1965 he destroyed many enemy tanks in the Sodereke fight and sustained critical burn injuries, which proved fatal. He sacrificed his life for the country and was awarded Mahavir Chakra posthumously.

Rahul Verma, Member of the Road Safety Council, Punjab, said that the authorities have asked the city municipal corporation to reinstall traffic signals at the crossroad sensing heavy flow of traffic. The traffic signals were removed for erecting pillars of elevated road.