The collapse of essential road infrastructure has thrown some of Ludhiana's most critical areas into a state of complete traffic disorder. Residents report that concrete road dividers, crucial for managing the flow of vehicles, have been smashed, stolen, or left in a state of decay. This has turned key stretches near schools and hospitals into zones of anarchy, especially during peak hours.
Core Corridors Plunged Into Gridlock
The problem is most acute in the city's high-traffic corridors. The Old City area, the vital stretch from Damoria Pull leading to Bhadour House and the historic Ghanta Ghar, are severely impacted. Education and healthcare hubs are particularly suffering. College Road in Ghumar Mandi and the Kitchlu Nagar point leading to Hambran Road—which serves multiple schools and hospitals—are now scenes of daily congestion.
The crisis also extends to residential and commercial zones like Sarabha Nagar and Malhar Road, where these dividers were specifically installed to manage the chaos of school-run traffic. With these physical barriers gone, the city's traffic discipline has rapidly broken down. The absence encourages dangerous "lane-cutting", where drivers veer into oncoming traffic to skip queues, bringing movement to a standstill when schools finish for the day.
Local resident Rishav shared his daily ordeal: "I have to cross Ghumar Mandi daily to reach work. Because there is no divider at the roundabout, cars and bikes are everywhere except their proper lanes. It used to be manageable; now it's a daily battle."
Vandalism and Public Neglect Worsen Crisis
While normal wear and tear is a factor, citizens squarely blame reckless drivers for much of the destruction. Another resident, Paras, stated, "Many people drive in total violation of the rules. They literally run their cars over the dividers to make illegal U-turns. They are destroying the very facilities meant to keep them safe."
This blatant vandalism of public property has led to growing public anger. There is now a strong demand from the community for the traffic police and municipal authorities (Ludhiana Municipal Corporation) to conduct serious checks and hold these reckless drivers financially accountable for the damage they cause.
Severe Impact on Safety and Mobility
The consequences of this infrastructure failure are severe and multi-fold:
- Increased Collision Risk: The lack of lane separation raises the threat of head-on collisions.
- Rise in Illegal Maneuvers: Drivers are making illegal U-turns with impunity.
- Peak-Hour Gridlock: Congestion reaches paralyzing levels near schools and hospitals during pick-up and drop-off times.
- Pedestrian Peril: Missing dividers also eliminate "refuge islands," leaving pedestrians dangerously exposed while crossing busy roads.
The situation underscores a critical failure in maintaining basic civic infrastructure in one of Punjab's largest and busiest cities. The call for urgent intervention and accountability is growing louder as Ludhiana's commuters, students, and patients bear the brunt of this traffic anarchy.
