Elevated road raises traffic snarls at Ferozepur road

LUDHIANA: Ferozepur Road—one of the busiest roads of the city—is giving nightmares to the commuters particularly during the morning and evening hours when the traffic is at its peak. Commuters rued that they have been facing a lot of difficulties while commuting on the road due to heavy traffic, little space, and absence of traffic cops at a lot of places.

Even if there is not a constant jam, the traffic moves at an extremely slow pace, testing the patience of the citizens. Commuters noted that they have hardly seen a traffic policeman standing at the signals near PAU Gate Number 1, or near MBD Mall, where jams clog the breath out of the residents.

Manmohan Singh, a resident of Rajguru Nagar rued, “While Ferozepur road has always seen traffic jams due to haphazard driving, it has seen a surge in the traffic after the construction of the elevated road began. I encounter a jam almost everyday, especially in the evenings, near MBD Mall, when the number of cars increases. I have rarely seen a traffic cop there to control the traffic.”

Gurvinder Singh, a local cab driver added, “I have been stuck at the traffic jam at a lot of points. The jam gets very frustrating in the morning and in the evening. A lot of time, the traffic moves at a very slow pace too. This causes unnecessary delays to the customers, who are left in a foul mood. One rarely sees the traffic cops deployed at the strategic spots where they are needed the most.”

When contacted ACP traffic Gurdev Singh said, “The Traffic Police is doing everything to ensure that there are no traffic jams at Ferozepur Road. We have our personnel and also volunteers at at every crucial spot which is susceptible to jams and we are also taking measures to remove vehicles particularly cars that stop on road. We are also ensuring that no vendor sells fruits or vegetables on road, which disrupts the flow of traffic. Moreover, the construction is for the betterment of the city and it will take some time to be completed. There is sufficient space on the road for it to be a two-lane road.” He also urged the commuters to take different roads to travel to reduce the congestion on this particular stretch.

He also offered that in case of jam he could be contacted and he would ensure every possible help to ensure that the situation was eased.

Meanwhile MC officials claimed that the construction work was at full pace. The MC Commissioner Jaskaran Singh said, that all norms were being followed and the MC has provided space for the structures being uprooted to be kept safely. A lot of structures that have been uprooted are being reused somewhere.