(MOREPIC1) Face2News/Ludhiana
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora, along with Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma, ADCP Gurpreet Kaur Purewal, Municipal Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, Punjab Road Safety Council member Rahul Verma and Navdeep Asija, Advisor to Punjab Government, held a joint press conference at Circuit House on Monday to address pressing traffic-related issues across Ludhiana.
During the press conference, MP Arora released a booklet titled “Road Accident Black-Spot Improvement Plan for Ludhiana Municipal Corporation Roads”, published by the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, with support from the Punjab Road Safety and Traffic Research Centre, SAS Nagar. Punjab Road Safety Council member Rahul Verma presented key highlights of the report, offering valuable suggestions to remove traffic bottlenecks and streamline vehicular flow throughout the city. Navdeep Asija, Advisor to Punjab Government also gave another presentation.
The presentation identified a total of 12 road accident black spots in Ludhiana. These include: UPSC Jain Charitable Hospital; Bobby Palace to Shingar Cinema; Sethi Ice-Cream T-Point, Metro Road; Punjab National Bank; Itta Wala Chowk; Vishwakarma Chowk; Durga Mata Mandir; Jagraon Bridge; Jai Mata Chintpurni Dhaba to Bharat Petrol Pump; State Bank of India to Pavilion Mall; Police Line, Deep Nagar; and Sabji Mandi Chowk. These locations have been marked as high-risk zones based on accident data and will be prioritized for corrective action.
Arora and officers were also informed through the presentation that road accident-related fatalities in Ludhiana have decreased due to coordinated efforts by the police and civil administration. While 403 deaths were reported in 2023, the number dropped to 377 in 2024, signaling progress in traffic safety initiatives.
Addressing media persons, Arora thanked Commissioner Swapan Sharma and ADCP Gurpreet Kaur Purewal for their efforts in easing traffic congestion and enhancing road safety. He noted that while several steps have already been taken, additional measures will be implemented in the future. He emphasized that accident-prone areas are being actively addressed to reduce the chances of fatal incidents.
Arora further informed that 140 additional traffic police personnel have been deployed to manage traffic issues across the city, especially near educational institutions during peak hours. He appealed to the public to cooperate with traffic police and follow all traffic rules, asserting that road accidents can be significantly reduced if every citizen acts responsibly.
Responding to media queries, Arora shared that a foot overbridge will be constructed near the General Bus Stand to tackle congestion in the area. He also announced that two-way vehicular movement on the elevated road from Hero Bakery Chowk to Pakhowal Road—which had been introduced temporarily on public demand—will now be made permanent following the success of the trial run.
