Jagraon Bridge: Political Leadership Suggests Shifting Ludhiana’s Protest Point

LUDHIANA: In what would come as a huge breather for residents who are inconvenienced due to frequent protests and agitations at Jagraon Bridge, the district administration is thinking of shifting the city’s rally point. The inspiration has come from Chandigarh, where the administration was spurred into action after commuters complained of getting stuck in jams due to almost chronic stirs organized at Matka Chowk, which was located near the residences and offices of key political and administrative figures.
In Ludhiana, the officialdom has been in deep slumber over the issue of shifting the point where public rallies are organized.
Being an important link route to the city, Jagraon Bridge overflows with traffic on any given day. The situation gets aggrieved when any protest is organized there, due to which long queues of vehicles are seen extending towards Ferozepur Road, Jalandhar byepass and Vishkarma Chowk. With the administration seeming to be lax towards the problem, political leaders have now taken upon themselves to provide a solution to the problem by suggesting that protests must not be allowed at Jagraon Bridge.
Talking to TOI, Congress councillor and secretary of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee Parminder Mehta said, ‘‘Crossing Jagraon Bridge between 8 to 11am and 5 to 9pm is a nightmare. The frequent stirs worsen the situation. Though the right to protest is a democratic right, keeping in view the larger public interest, the administration must ban protests at the bridge.’’
Seconding the recommendation, BJP leader and senior deputy mayor Praveen Bansal said, ‘‘This issue is of grave concern and we will certainly raise it with district administration so that the general public does not suffer.’’