Ludhiana Bus Stand: Broken divider grills, accident risk renew demand for foot overbridge
Sukhwinder Bhangoo
Ludhiana (Punjab), October 21, 2026: The demand for a foot overbridge near Ludhiana bus stand has resurfaced amid concerns over the risk of road accidents involving pedestrians crossing the busy stretch.
Arvind Sharma, who has approached the Punjab State and Chandigarh (UT) Human Rights Commission over the issue, has submitted a rejoinder to Commission member Justice Gurbir Singh, seeking urgent and time-bound measures to protect pedestrians.
Sharma has pointed out that buses and other vehicles approaching the bus stand at high speed pose a serious risk to people attempting to cross the road. He has warned that the absence of adequate pedestrian-safety infrastructure could lead to serious accidents.
Broken divider grills add to risk
In his submission, Sharma has highlighted the damaged iron grills along the central road divider, alleging that the gaps compel pedestrians to cross the road directly to reach the bus stand. This exposes them to fast-moving traffic and increases the possibility of accidents.
He has sought the Commission’s intervention to ensure that immediate safety measures are implemented while the proposed foot overbridge remains pending.
Civic body, NHAI asked to explain delay
Sharma has urged the Commission to seek a joint report from the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), including its Project Implementation Unit, explaining the reasons for the delay, the project’s current status and the department responsible for completing the work.
He has also sought a definite timeline for construction of the foot overbridge, expressing concern that a lack of coordination between the agencies may be contributing to the delay. The reasons for the delay, however, would need to be established through the authorities’ responses.
Pending construction, he has called for the repair of damaged divider grills, installation of warning signs, appropriate barricading and measures to control vehicle speeds. He has further requested that the concerned departments be directed to submit action-taken reports within a stipulated period.
Bus stand relocation also suggested
Citing Ludhiana’s growing population and increasing traffic pressure, Sharma has also urged the authorities to examine the possibility of shifting the bus stand to a suitable location outside the congested part of the city.
He maintained that regardless of any long-term decision on relocation, providing pedestrians with a safe route to the existing bus stand must remain an immediate priority.
The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for December 17, 2026.
Sharma said the objective of raising the issue before the Commission was to prevent potential accidents and protect lives. He has sought concrete and time-bound directions to the concerned authorities to address the safety risks and ensure that pedestrians can cross the road safely.