Times News NetworkLudhiana: Roads in Ghumar Mandi led nowhere on Tuesday, when the ecstatic AAP procession clogged every exit, even those from internal roads. With the party’s senior leaders congregating in one of the busiest markets of the city, police restricted vehicular movement on all roads leading to Ghumar Mandi. First, police blocked the main Ludhiana-Ferozepur road from Nanaksar gurdwara towards Aarti Chowk, for regular traffic, which was diverted to the elevated road. Internal lanes and roads of Gurdev Nagar, Mall Enclave, Maharaj Nagar, Maya Nagar, and Saggu Chowk, which led to the venue of the roadshow, were completely restricted.Commuters, who had no prior information about the diversions, did not have enough time to get out of the area. All they could do was endure a traffic jam lasting hours. BRS Nagar resident Jagjeevan Singh, who was stuck near National Road, said, “I was supposed to visit an office opposite Park Plaza. First, I was asked to go via the elevated road. When I exited the elevated road and turned towards the road leading to National Road on one side and Mall Road on the other, a traffic cop asked me to make a U-turn. He made every vehicle take a U-turn from there but since the road is narrow, vehicles got stuck in a jam. No cop came to help and a few people stepped out of their vehicles to manage the traffic.”Barewal Road resident Rahul Sharma was not so lucky. “I tried to take every route to reach Model Gram but despite trying many routes like the main Ludhiana-Ferozepur road, Saggu Chowk, Maharaj Nagar, or inside lanes of Ghumar Mandi, I could not cross Aarti Chowk or Bhai Bala Chowk to reach Model Gram. I had to return home.”Chaos in Ghumar MandiEvent location: AAP held a roadshow in Ghumar Mandi, one of Ludhiana’s busiest markets.Traffic restrictions: Police blocked the Ludhiana-Ferozepur road and restricted access to internal roads in Gurdev Nagar, Mall Enclave, Maharaj Nagar, Maya Nagar, and Saggu Chowk.Major diversions: Traffic was diverted to the elevated road; commuters were forced to take U-turns due to blocked exits.Commuter impact: Many were stuck in hours-long jams without prior notice of diversions.Public frustration: Residents like Jagjeevan Singh and Rahul Sharma shared their struggles, with one unable to reach his destination and another forced to return home.MSID:: 122050842 413 |
