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Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ludhiana: Brace for major traffic snarls
Commuters entering Ludhiana from all entry points are set to be severely affected in view of the diversions with long traffic jams expected to be the order of the day; the Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to begin at 5.30 am
Amid stringent security arrangements ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ludhiana on Thursday, the traffic police have issued an advisory for the commuters, informing the public of the diversions which have been put in place ahead of the scheduled event.
Commuters entering the city from all entry points are set to be severely affected in view of the diversions with long traffic jams expected to be the order of the day.
The Bharat Jodo Yatra is scheduled to begin at 5.30 am from Kashmir Garden in Payal from where it will proceed to Sahnewal and then reach Zamindar Dhaba from where it will march to Dhandhari. It will then proceed towards Mohandai Oswal hospital on the GT Road from where it will march towards Transport Nagar Chowk and then culminate at Samrala Chowk at 12 pm.
While one side of the national highway on the above route will thus remain closed where the yatra will pass, traffic will move on the other side of the road with as many as eight diversion points in place for heavy vehicles. For light vehicles, the highway will be clogged.
Though there is no diversion plan within the city, traffic will be diverted at Ladhowal Toll plaza, Phillaur, Doraha, Neelon Bridge, Samrala, Khanna, Tibba Canal Bridge and Kohara on the Chandigarh road.
As a result, the Southern bypass is expected to be heavily clogged tomorrow and so will be the busy Ferozepur road. Traffic within the city on the Malhar road as well as other arterial roads is expected to bear the brunt of the diversions and will remain congested, a traffic police official said. Residents are already suffering with the main roads being dug up owing to the construction of the elevated road on the Ferozepur road and the yatra tomorrow will add to the woes.
Gurpreet Singh, assistant commissioner of police, (AAP traffic- 2) said that the guidelines have been issued for the vehicles coming from outside, and adequate traffic staff will be deployed for the convenience of the motorists. He said that traffic police will manage the internal routes of the city to avoid inconvenience to the motorists.
Traffic officials said that the Samrala Chowk will remain clogged as a rally is scheduled to be held and the internal traffic will be diverted to the next possible route.
Soumya Mishra, joint commissioner of police (JCP, law and order), said police forces will be deployed throughout the route of the march and surveillance measures will be put in place at the venue of the rally and at Ladhowal.
Poster seeking answer from Rahul Gandhi found outside Congress Bhawan
A poster seeking an answer from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the party over Partition and anti-Sikh riots was found pasted on the pillar outside the Congress Bhawan near the clock tower on Wednesday. The handwritten poster mentioned ‘aam janta’ as its writer. The poster was removed by the police officers. Station house officer, divison no 1, inspector Sanjeev Kapoor said that police have not yet identified the person who pasted the poster.
