E-Paper
Business as usual in Ludhiana amid call for bandh
The call had been issued by the Christian community to make their protest against perceived governmental inaction over the breakdown of law-and-order in Manipur
City residents went about their business on Wednesday as the call for Punjab Bandh failed to find any traction in the city. Business operations continued smoothly across markets, with the call finding only scattered support.
The call had been issued by the Christian community to make their protest against perceived governmental inaction over the breakdown of law-and-order in Manipur.
Ensuring maintenance of law-and-order, police teams were on their toes throughout the day. Around 500 personnel being deployed at key locations, including in the vicinity of railway tracks, major intersections and key sites such as Jalandhar Bypass, Jagraon Bridge, the railway station, bus stand, Bharat Nagar Chowk, Sarabha Nagar, Field Ganj, and in proximity to churches throughout the city.
Police teams also carried out meticulous search operations at multiple spots within the city. A checkpoint was set up at Jalandhar Bypass, where vehicles were inspected to ensure safety and compliance.
Additional deputy commissioner of police (ADCP) Rupinder Kaur Sra, meanwhile said, “On Tuesday night, I engaged with representatives from different segments of the Christian community as well as the Valmiki group. During these interactions, I requested their cooperation in maintaining the city’s law and order. To uphold this commitment, we carried out thorough inspections at the Jalandhar Bypass location and scrutinised various vehicles in anticipation of the Punjab Bandh call.”
Jaspal Singh, representing the Akalgarh Market Association, said their neighbourhood remained undisturbed, as merely all of the market’s 1,200 shops operated as usual. Despite this, police presence was visible near the chowk, he noted.
Echoing the same, Ludhiana Sadar Bazar Association president Harpreet Singh said, “The day went about normally as there were no protests or shop closures. Our association, situated adjacent to Kochar market, stands next to one of the city’s busiest roads, but the atmosphere was like any other typical day.”
He also acknowledged the deployment of police personnel at various intersections.
The Bandh did impact public transportation in the city, with those looking to travel to Jalandhar, Malerkotla and Hoshiarpur encountering problems. Buses running on the route had to be diverted, resulting in delays.
Navraj Singh, the in-charge of the bus stand, said, “A number of Punjab Roadways and Pepsu buses plying towards Jalandhar, Malerkotla, and Hoshiarpur were affected, as they had to opt for alternative routes to reach their designated destinations. Additionally, some buses scheduled between 10 am and 12 noon had to be cancelled.”
ADCP (operations) Sameer Verma said the city remained peaceful throughout the day, with all market associations conducting their operations without any disruptions. He added that no highway protests or disruptions on internal roads were witnessed.
BOX
Central Trade Unions and Independent Federations/Associations held a joint rally to protest the alleged government inaction over violence in Manipur.
All India Trade Union Congress, Centre of Indian Trade Unions and Indian National Trade Union Congress were among the organisations that joined the protest outside the Punjabi Bhawan.
Speakers addressing the rally criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at Centre and Manipur for their alleged failure to keep the situation in Manipur from spiralling.
