After years of delays and debate, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation is making a decisive push to dramatically expand the city's boundaries. The ambitious plan aims to incorporate more than 100 surrounding villages, potentially increasing the urban landscape from the current 159 square kilometres to around 400 square kilometres.
Decades-Old Proposal Gains Urgent Momentum
The controversial proposal, pending for decades, is back on the table with renewed urgency. Civic officials are preparing to table a resolution to formally bring these villages under the municipal area. This move is driven by two critical deadlines. First, the central government has reportedly asked civic bodies to finalise any territorial expansions before the upcoming census. Officials feel they must complete the process by December 31 to meet this requirement.
Second, Ludhiana's existing Master Plan is set to expire in 2031. Proponents argue that expanding now is essential for planning the next 30 years of development properly. An official, speaking anonymously, highlighted the critical nature of the next five years for the industrial town if it aspires to match metropolitan standards.
Planning Needs and Administrative Overhaul
Officials state that the current city limits are severely cramped, lacking adequate space for essential infrastructure like parking, green belts, and medical facilities. The expansion is framed as a necessary step to acquire land for planned, future-proof growth.
Such a massive inclusion would trigger a major administrative restructuring. There is a strong possibility that Ludhiana could be divided into two or three separate municipal corporations, each with its own mayor and commissioner. The number of municipal wards would also see a significant increase.
The villages slated for inclusion span constituencies like Gill and Dakha and include settlements such as Birmi, Malakpur, Dakha, Issewal, Bhattian, Ayali Kalan, Ayali Khurd, Pamal, Alamgir, Lohara, and Tajpur, among others.
Real Estate Interests and Financial Concerns
Sources indicate the proposal's timing may be strategically linked to the booming real estate sector just outside the current MC limits. The Gill and Dakha constituencies, key areas for incorporation, are reportedly seeing a maximum number of new township projects. Once under the MC, property values in these areas are expected to rise sharply.
Furthermore, developers could transfer the responsibility of maintaining infrastructure—roads, streetlights, sewer systems—to the civic body. However, this prospect raises immediate red flags about the additional financial burden on the already fiscally strained municipal corporation.
This is not the first attempt at expansion. Similar proposals were tried in 2011, 2016, and 2021. A plan approved by the MC general house in December 2016 to add 53 villages ultimately failed due to strong objections from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The current push presents Ludhiana with a pivotal choice. It promises much-needed space for systematic development and caters to a growing real estate market. Yet, it equally sparks serious questions about financial sustainability, administrative complexity, and equitable planning. The city stands at a crossroads, deciding whether this boundary blitz is a strategic boost for its metropolitan ambitions or a costly gamble for its future.
