Brace for traffic snarls in scorching heat

LUDHIANA: With two major flyovers of the city having been closed to traffic, commuters’ woes are bound to increase in the coming days. Work on the unsafe part of the Jagraon Bridge has not been started yet. Now, the closure of the flyover at the Gill Chowk will affect commuting to Industrial Area, Focal Point and Cheema Chowk.

Traffic being diverted on the Gill flyover following the collapse of the retaining wall, on Monday. Tribune Photos: Himanshu Mahajan

Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 14

With two major flyovers of the city having been closed to traffic, commuters’ woes are bound to increase in the coming days. Work on the unsafe part of the Jagraon Bridge has not been started yet. Now, the closure of the flyover at the Gill Chowk will affect commuting to Industrial Area, Focal Point and Cheema Chowk.

Serpentine queues of vehicles were witnessed near the Gill Chowk flyover and the Jagraon Bridge throughout the day on Monday. The traffic moved at a snail’s pace.

Tejeshwar Singh, a businessman, said the Gill flyover was the only easy route to reach the Pratap Chowk/Cheema Chowk side. “Now, the retaining wall of the bridge has collapsed and obviously, the traffic has to be diverted. It has become a Herculean task to reach my workplace in such slow traffic,” he said.

Gurnam Singh, a resident, said there was a huge traffic near Millar Ganj and the Vishwakarma Chowk throughout the day. “This is unfortunate that as per the authorities, rats have damaged the flyover. The residents will have to bear the brunt of traffic snarls. Persons responsible for causing this harassment to the public should be severely punished by the authorities,” he said.

DC constitutes committee

Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Agrawal has constituted a four-member committee to hold a probe into the collapse of the flyover retaining wall. The four members are Shaina Aggarwal, Additional Deputy Commissioner (chairman); Rahul Gagneja (Executive Engineer, MC); Rakesh Garg, Executive Engineer, PWD; and Ranbir Singh, Executive Engineer, GLADA. It will submit its report within 15 days, said the DC.

Traffic advisory

Three top officials, the DC, the Commissioner of Police and the Municipal Commissioner, had a meeting and decided to temporarily shift the bus stand to a viable place. Commuters coming from Focal Point, Dhandari, Kanganwal, Sarabha Nagar, Agar Nagar and South City should use the southern bypass. Similarly, vehicles coming from Delhi and Chandigarh should also use this bypass through Sarabha Nagar and Atam Nagar. Those coming from the Sherpur side should divert to the Dhuri line bridge. Lakkar Bridge to be used by those coming from Industrial Area and the Sherpur side.

‘Traffic diversions will serve no purpose’

"It was so difficult to go to workplace and come back home on Monday. It took me about an hour to reach home. The authorities need to repair both bridges at the earliest, or else it would be too difficult to commute in the city. Traffic diversions will serve no purpose" Bitesh Goel, who runs a factory near Tajpur Road