Easier days ahead for Ludhiana commuters as road projects near completion

Commuters in the city can breathe easy with the completion of two crucial infrastructure projects – the Pakhowal Road Railway Overbridge (ROB) and the elevated bridge near the bus stand

Commuters in the city can breathe easy with the completion of two crucial infrastructure projects – the Pakhowal Road Railway Overbridge (ROB) and the elevated bridge near the bus stand.

Construction work for the railway overbridge project on the Pakhowal road in Ludhiana in its last leg. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Both projects were at their of their conception billed as possible solutions to the persistent traffic bottlenecks in the city.

Traffic police officials and NHAI authorities said the sections are likely to be opened for vehicular traffic by the end of the year and will significantly streamline traffic movements to and from the bus stand.

Presently, key routes, including the one from Bharat Nagar Chowk to the bus stand and the curve from Bharat Nagar Chowk to the DC office, have been closed for the past few weeks, causing diversions and inconvenience for commuters. The situation has led to traffic snarls, especially on the even road from Durga Mata Mandi to Mini Secretariat, due to ongoing road diversions.

Traffic police and NHAI officials have assured that the elevated project, spanning till the bus stand, will be completed by January 25. Currently, three spans of shuttering are pending, leading to the closure of the route to and from the bus stand. The completion of both projects is expected to bring much-needed relief to commuters navigating these crucial routes.

Rahul Verma, a traffic expert, commented, “These two major projects have been contributing to traffic snarls at major link roads across the city. The Pakhowal road project is on track for completion by the end of this year, with an expected opening on January 1.”

“The route from Bharat Nagar Chowk to the bus stand is slated for completion by December 25, while the curve from Bharat Nagar to the Deputy Commissioner’s office will reopen by January 12. Bharat Nagar Chowk is expected to be fully operational in both directions by January 26,” he added.

Assistant commissioner of police Charanjeev Lamba affirmed the progress during a recent visit with NHAI officials, saying, “Pakhowal Road ROB will be completed by the end of the year, and the elevated project will also be completed by January 26, providing commuters with smooth traffic flow. We appreciate the public’s patience during the construction period and look forward to the improved commuting experience in the near future.”