Utter chaos at Chaura Bazaar in Ludhiana on Sunday makes commuting difficult

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Ludhiana, July 21

The Sunday Bazaar at Chaura Bazaar presents a picture of utter chaos, encroachments and traffic congestion amidst huge rush of people coming for shopping here.

Many vendors set up makeshift shops here to sell their products on Sunday. The bazaar is popular, especially among migrants, but it gives difficult time to commuters. Managing traffic here becomes a difficult task on Sunday.

Despite several warnings issued by the traffic police to shopkeepers and roadside vendors about strict action being taken for encroaching roads, violations continue. Makeshift shops can be seen outside the Kotwali police station which makes it difficult to approach the station.

Rajiv, who runs a shop near Mata Rani Chowk, said it becomes difficult to reach his shop on Sunday due to huge rush after vendors put up their carts along the roadside.

“Managing traffic becomes really a problem on Sunday. It is very difficult to drive on the Clock Tower road. Going into the Chaura Bazaar is a Herculean task,” he said.

Due to encroachments on the road, pedestrians find it difficult to walk in the market. One can see carts haphazardly parked in between the roads creating hurdles for residents to commute.

A roadside vendor, who was seen selling clothes on a cart, said he comes here every Sunday. He said nobody has ever stopped him from doing so.

He said, “I come at Chaura Bazaar only on Sunday to sell clothes. On rest of the days, I do my regular work.”

Jaswinder Singh, who runs a shoe shop at Chaura Bazaar, said from the past one year, he had stopped opening his shop on Sunday as there was too much chaos. He said many makeshift shops come up here for selling various items.

“It becomes difficult to reach my shop as there is so much rush. So, I keep my shop closed on Sunday,” he said.

Besides, a large number of traders not only from Punjab, but also from nearby states, including Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and even Jammu and Kashmir, come to Chaura Bazaar to buy products from wholesale merchants. The AC market, located near Clock Tower, is busiest on Sunday.

“The authorities concerned have failed to take stern action against shopkeepers and vendors stocking and selling their merchandise in Chaura Bazaar. Even pedestrians do not find space to walk in the oldest commercial hub of the city what to speak of smooth flow of the traffic,” said Naresh, who runs a shop near Girja Ghar.