Ludhiana: After almost a year, the Ludhiana Police will resume its anti-encroachment drive on Monday. The intensified campaign will cover 100 roads of the city.
Earlier, in 2020, the police had started the drive at a couple of spots, mainly in Old City. It was discontinued due to the lockdown to check Covid-19 spread.
Commissioner of police Rakesh Agrawal said, “The previous year, the drive had started in January. It was a success and residents had appreciated it. The police had lodged 100 cases against the violators. This time, the drive will be intensified and cover more areas.”
The police have identified 100 roads that will be their focus areas. “Our target is to rid 100 roads of encroachments within a month. In the first 15 days, the police will request shopkeepers and street vendors to remove encroachments on their own. Notices will also be served on them. In the next 15 days, the police will help the municipal corporation remove the remaining encroachments,” he added.
Though cops had managed to make most of the targeted areas encroachment free the previous year, they faced strong resentment of Old City shopkeepers, who claimed that the police strictness affected their businesses. Some Old City market associations had also staged protests as the police were not allowing parking of vehicles outside shops.
Ankush Arora, a trader and resident of Old City, said, “After the last year drive, there were no vendors on streets and no vehicles parked in the middle of roads. The measures made Old City chaos-free. But after lockdown, it was back to square one.”
“Encroachments plague almost all areas of the city, especially markets. It is good that the drive will target 100 roads,” said Paras Gulati, a hosiery trader.
Some of the roads where the drive will be undertaken are: Pavilion Mall road to Rajpura chowk to Haibowal main road; Domoria bridge to Kailash Chowk-Jandu Chowk; Jagraon bridge to Clock Tower and Kapoor Hospital to Daresi; Mata Rani Chowk to Meena Bazaar; Clock Tower Chowk to Ghah Mandi Chowk; Local Adda to Subhani Building; Jagraon Bridge to civil hospital; ESI Hospital to Kochar Market road to Pakhowal Road; Bhai Wala Chowk to Phullanwal; Jodhewal Basti Chowk to Shivpuri Road; Rekhi Cinema Chowk to Kesar Ganj Mandi road; Jama Masjid to Shahpur road; B7 Chowk to Lalton Chowk; Rajpura Chowk to Partap Singh Wala Chowk; Fountain Chowk to Rose Garden Chowk; Fountain Chowk to Ghumar Mandi to Aarti Chowk; Ferozepur Road to Barewal Road and Ferozepur Road to Agar Nagar; Jawahar Nagar area; Vishwakarma Chowk to Gill Chowk to Gill Canal bridge; Sabun Bazaar; Gur Mandi; Namak Mandi; areas around civil hospital; Gill Canal bridge to Gill village; Dholewal Chowk to Partap Chowk; area outside bus stand.