One of the city’s busiest intersections, Mata Rani Chowk, has turned into a bottleneck for commuters as repair work on underground wires has left a long trench running along the roadside.
The excavation, filled with soil, rocks and debris, has narrowed the carriageway, forcing vehicles to squeeze through a single lane and triggering traffic snarls throughout the day.
Motorcycles, auto-rickshaws and cars jostle for space under the overpass while pedestrians are left to navigate dangerously close to the dug-up stretch.
Commercial establishments lining the road remain open but shopkeepers complain that dust, noise and congestion have driven away customers.
“It is impossible to cross the road without risking a fall into the trench or brushing against moving vehicles. The footfall of the customers has affected as the area is already congested and the repair work has added to our woes,” said a shop owner, pointing to cables and pipes exposed in the excavation.
The traffic police admit that Mata Rani Chowk was among the most critical points in Ludhiana’s road network, connecting Civil Lines, Chaura Bazaar and the city railway station. Any disruption here ripples across adjoining stretches, slowing movement on Ferozepur Road and Jagraon Bridge.
“We are trying to regulate the traffic flow but the narrowed passage leaves little scope for smooth movement,” said an official deployed at the site.
Commuters, meanwhile, voice frustration over the lack of prior planning.
“It is peak hour traffic and they have left half the road dug up. It takes 30 minutes to cross what should be a two-minute stretch,” complained Ashok Joshi, a resident of Salem Tabri, who uses the chowk daily to reach his workplace.
Another office-goer, Amit, who works at a bank near Bhadaur House, said the traffic situation had only worsened with the ongoing repair work. “The work should be completed at the earliest as commuting has become a difficult task,” he said.
“Mata Rani Chowk is a lifeline. Any work there must be executed with speed and safety measures. Otherwise, the city grinds to a halt,” said a civic activist.
