E-Paper
Squatters removed, traffic flow streamlines in old Ludhiana city
arlier vehicles used to jostle for space in Chaura Bazar, Field Ganj, and on Shahpur Road and Kalgidhar Road
Police action against encroachers since the start of this week has streamlined the movement of traffic in old city areas including Chaura Bazar, Field Ganj, Shahpur Road and Kalgidhar Road, the launchpad of the drive. Earlier vehicles used to jostle for space in these areas.
Very few vendors were seen in these areas on Thursday, with market association and residents appreciating the move.
“Traffic jams in Field Ganj were the norm as vendors had encroached over half the road portion. The situation
became worse during summers,” said Taranjeet Singh, a local resident.
Another resident, Gagandeep Singh, said, “Anti-encroachment drives have been conducted earlier too, but failed within a few days. Regular drives should be organised in other areas including Brown Road and Benjamin Road, too.”
While appreciating the drive, the shopkeepers raised questions over the methods adopted by the police.
Field Ganj market association president Pawan Bathla said, “The police also confiscated the vehicles of customers parked on the roadside. Customers should not face any harassment in such drives.”
Municipal corporation (MC) teams removed encroachments from Metro Road near Jamalpur on Thursday night, and six vends behind the district courts in Model Gram on Friday.