Jagraon Bridge lane closure leads to traffic chaos in Ludhiana, repairs underway

A key lane of the Jagraon Bridge, considered the lifeline of the city’s daily commute, has been closed for vehicular traffic following the collapse of its supporting outer wall.

The sudden structural failure has triggered widespread concern and intensified congestion across the city, especially for commuters heading towards Vishkarma Chowk, Bharat Nagar Chowk, Jalandhar Bypass and the railway station.

Built in 1975, the bridge has long served as a vital artery connecting major junctions in the city. Originally designed to handle around 20,000 vehicles daily, the bridge now bears the load of over 1.25 lakh vehicles — a staggering increase that has placed immense stress on its aging infrastructure. The collapse has exposed the deteriorating condition of the bridge, with chunks of concrete falling off and visible signs of wear.

Experts from Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College conducted an inspection and confirmed that the outer wall had weakened significantly due to unchecked plant growth and rat infestations. The wall’s compromised integrity has made immediate reconstruction essential. The Municipal Corporation Commissioner and the Senior Deputy Mayor had inspected the site a few days days before the incident.

“The route was already congested and now, it’s a nightmare,” said a local resident, adding “Those heading to Vishkarma Chowk or dropping children at nearby schools are stuck in long delays. We need swift action.”

The supporting outer wall had undergone repairs previously but recurring issues suggest deeper structural vulnerabilities. The work has started with efforts to minimise disruption. However, the closure has already caused ripple effects across the city’s traffic network, forcing commuters to seek alternative routes and endure extended travel times.

The bridge’s age — nearly 50 years — and the exponential rise in traffic have raised questions about long-term planning and infrastructure resilience.

The civic authorities should not only restore the damaged section but also reassess the bridge’s overall capacity and safety, said Gurpal Singh, who regularly regularly commutes through the bridge.

Another city resident said earlier also, the bridge was closed due to the construction of a part of the bridge on the one side and now, again it has been closed. It has created traffic hurdles. I go to Gurdwara Dukh Nivaran Sahib every day and now I have to take a longer route, due to which a lot of time is wasted,” said Manmeet Kaur.

With the civic body working to repair the damaged outer brick wall of the Jagraon bridge, MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal inspected the ongoing works on Thursday and issued directions to speed up the same.

Officials stated that the repair works would be completed within a week.

MC Additional Commissioner Paramdeep Singh, Superintending Engineer (SE) Ranjit Singh, Executive Engineer Balwinder Singh, experts from GNDEC were among those others present during the inspection.

The MC chief said besides speeding up the work to repair the outer brick wall, the officials concerned had also been directed to expedite the work under the overall project for adding more strength to the bridge.

Dachalwal said experts from GNDEC had been roped in for conducting a detailed study and implementing plans wherein they had also been directed to explore options of expanding approach roads of the bridge, towards Vishkarma Chowk. Various steps would also be taken to strengthen the bridge.