Civic body, police gear up to tackle traffic congestion

Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, September 15

Ongoing work to finish six-laning, including flyovers and ROBs, of NH-44 which passes through the city and the elevated road from Samrala Bypass to Barewal Octroi Post has turned the traffic situation chaotic. Residents are often seen grappling with frequent traffic snarls on the Jalandhar Bypass-Samrala Bypass section of the highway and on Bharat Nagar Chowk-MBD Mall stretch of Ferozepur Road (NH-95).

Realising the need to initiate coordinated efforts of all the agencies concerned and have a comprehensive traffic plan in place before the work commences on the proposed railway overbridge (ROB) on Pakhowal Raod (near Sacred Heart Convent School turning), the Municipal Corporation (MC), the city traffic police and the district administration held detailed deliberations on Saturday evening.

The meeting was attended by MC Commissioner Kanwalpreet Brar, MC Superintendent Engineer (B and R) HS Bhullar, ACP (Traffic) and Traffic Expert Rahul Verma, and others.

The officials attending the meeting noted that as of now, work on these projects was in progress at eight sites — Basti Jodhewal, Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Hospital, Sherpur Chowk, Cheema Chowk, Jagraon Bridge, Malhar Road, Ladhowal Bypass and Ferozepur Road — and traffic movement was adversely affected on at least 15 major roads in the city, causing immense inconvenience to the public.

According to Rahul Verma, it was decided that even if the proposed work on ROB at Pakhowal Road has to be put off for a month or so, it should commence only after putting alternative traffic plan in place and simultaneously taking steps to improve traffic movement on problematic spots.

“As the alternative traffic plan is put in place during the next fortnight or so, by that time, the work is expected to be completed on one side of Basti Jodhewal flyover which, in all probability, will become operational by the end of the month as well as on the part of work on Jagraon Bridge to be undertaken by the MC. Completion of these two projects is expected to take a lot of load off the traffic congestion on the city roads,” observed the officials.

The delay caused by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) in submission of estimates for shifting of electric poles and transformers – both from service lanes along Ferozpeur Road and at Basti Jodhewal Chowk, came in for sharp criticism. Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Aggarwal issued explicit directions to the PSPCL officials to expedite the work while making it clear that any further delay in this regard would not be tolerated.

The MC and district officials also told the city police to arrange for additional traffic cops to handle the traffic situation during the forthcoming festival season when movement of people and vehicles on the roads increased manifold.