Ludhiana’s traffic snarls take the front seat at CII interaction

Problems related to traffic congestion and encroachments in the city, especially around the under-construction road projects that have left the residents hassled, dominated the conversation at the CII Ludhiana Zonal Council meeting held on Thursday evening.

The interaction of the city industry, deputy commissioner (DC) Surabhi Malik and commissioner of police Mandeep Singh Sidhu saw the former group highlight the absence of traffic police personnel at most places and its adverse impact — especially around city schools and eateries as well as the Sidhwan canal in addition to the vicinity of construction work.

Speaking of the same, chartered accountant Jasminder Singh said, “There is no place to park and it should be the responsibility of the schools to ensure no bottlenecks are formed.”

In response, DC Malik encouraged carpooling by parents.

Rahul Ahuja, former CII chairperson, turned attention to the construction work underway in the city, saying, “The major problem is because of us Ludhianvis. Everyone is hassled with traffic but they do not follow rules. Traffic police need to have zero tolerance for wrong parking.”

Also flagging the rising encroachments, he said, “When we visit Ghumar Mandi, every part of the road is encroached upon.”

Mridula Jain of Shingora Textiles, meanwhile, highlighted the horrid commute at the Southern Bypass amid peak hour traffic at three to four intersections.

Other issues that were flagged included rising thefts at Focal Point areas in the absence of the closed-circuit television (CCTV)s in Industrial Areas.

Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organization (FICO) president Gurmeet Singh Kular, meanwhile, said the city was covered under the Safe City project, with around 1,200 cameras keeping guard, but no such facility was available on Focal Point roads allowing for a rise in theft incidents.

Going back to the issue of traffic, CII Punjab chairperson Amit Thapar said Chandigarh should be seen as a model town when it comes to traffic management.

Police chief Sidhu said all suggestions will be taken into account, before reiterating the administration’s commitment to tackle the traffic congestion in the city.