Ludhiana: Ludhiana traffic police is working to make Samrala chowk, one of the main junctions of the city that also remains congested and chaotic, a model one. Major roads like Ludhiana-Delhi highway, Ludhiana-Chandigarh highway, Ludhiana-Amritsar highway, besides two roads leading to Cheema chowk and the old city are also connected to Samrala chowk. For the past some time major traffic jams are being witnessed at the chowk. However, now the city police are on the job to decongest it.
To transform the chaotic Samrala chowk into a congestion-free model chowk, the traffic cops have already started making their presence felt at the chowk. In the first phase, they are issuing challans to those commuting on the wrong side or parking their vehicles on the road.
Assistant commissioner of police, (traffic) Gurdev Singh said, “The Samrala chowk will be made a model one in two phases. In the first phase, we are getting the encroachments removed. With the help of municipal corporation, the traffic police have got the encroachment on the road sides removed. Further, we have also started issuing challans to those driving on the wrong side and those parking vehicles on the road.”
“Besides, the stoppage of buses and autos at the main chowk was one of the main reasons for traffic chaos. We have fixed their stops, which are a few meters ahead of the main chowk. Moreover, the traffic cops are present at the chowk to ensure that no auto or bus is stopped in the middle of the road, causing traffic chaos,” the ACP added.
He further said, “To make it a model chowk, there is a need to make some major infrastructure changes. There is no traffic signal at the chowk despite the fact that it connects different highways and roads leading to the main city. Our plan is to increase the entry and exit points at this chowk, especially for heavy vehicles, so that these cross from the flyover only. In this way the other traffic will not be affected.”
The official shared that a meeting with the three different project officers of the National Highway Authority of India had alreadsy been conducted, who have completed the survey of the chowk. We are now waiting for the response of the NHAI.
On Saturday also, the traffic cops were present at Samrala chowk and were nabbing the violators riding on the wrong side or parking vehicles on the road.