Ludhiana MC resolution to commercialise key stretches in residential areas irks locals
Officials maintain due process was followed; resolution pending with state govt
The Municipal Corporation’s (MC) move to pass a resolution to regularise commercial activities on some residential stretches, including BRS Nagar Main Road and Sarabha Nagar Road, has caused concerns among the locals.
According to the residents of these posh localities, they feel “cheated” by the MC move. They claim this “undermines planned urban development and disregards their right to a peaceful living environment”.
They argue that the very reason they invested in these colonies was to escape the congestion and noise of the city’s commercial hubs. “We shifted here for peace and a healthy lifestyle, but now, the main roads are turning into markets with constant honking and traffic,” said Karamjit Kaur, who lives in one of the areas.
Locals say that a few years ago, notices were issued to establishments operating illegally in residential areas, which had raised hopes among them about impending action against such units.
They say this resolution has dashed any such hope they had left.
A group of residents has submitted objections to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Local Government) and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC). They allege that the MC failed to follow mandatory statutory procedures before passing the resolution.
MC officials, however, asserted that everything was done with “due process”.
“We received applications from the shopkeepers and establishments requesting the conversion of these roads to commercial ones. After this, surveys were conducted by the MC and a proposal was presented before the House. The proposal was passed in a general House meeting. Now, the file will be sent to department headquarters and if the proposal is passed there, we will invite objections and acceptance from the public. The proposal is yet to be passed by the state government. If this is passed, MC will get extra income through fee of Change of Land Use (CLU) and it will prove beneficial. Everything will be done according to the law,” said Paramdeep Singh, MC Additional Commissioner.
According to the complainants, no proposals were displayed at zonal offices, no notices were affixed on affected roads and public notices, if any, were published in “obscure” newspapers. They argue this violates the principles of natural justice, particularly the right of affected citizens to be heard.
Kapil Dev, president of the Council of Engineers, termed the move “an attempt to legitimise illegal commercial activities” already being carried out on these roads. He said this disregards Ludhiana’s Master Plan and binding directions of the Supreme Court.
Colonel Jasjit Singh Gill (retd), former member of the state task force on the Buddah Nullah Rejuvenation Project, highlighted the move’s impact on senior citizens. “No thought has been given to the mental well-being of residents who bought plots here to spend their evenings in peace. What about shopkeepers, such as those in authorised markets like Sarabha Nagar, who abide by rules and regulations?”
Residents claim that the resolution represents an “exercise of power serving vested interests rather than the public good”. They allege that environmental and infrastructure concerns, such as traffic congestion, pollution and strain on civic amenities, have not been assessed.
They say the move is like giving a “green signal” to mushrooming unauthorised shops. Locals urged the state government to reject the resolution, insisting that it threatens the city’s planned development and erodes trust in civic governance. “This is not just about roads, but about the future of urban planning and the citizens’ rights,” a local said.
