15072026-LT-01.qxd 7/15/2026 12:48 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune ILLEGAL VENDS CHOKE ROADS, MC 'INACTION' UNDER LENS DORAHA RAISES A STINK AS SAFAI SEWAKS RESUME STIR Safai sewaks allege state government "failed" to meet their demands that had been accepted. P3 GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 27°C ALIA BHATT JOINS SOHUM SHAH IN ‘TUMBBAD 2’ In a letter to MC chief, Senior Deputy Mayor Rakesh Prashar seeks immediate action. P2 FORECAST The announcement marks Alia Bhatt’s first full-fledged venture into the horror genre. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7:26 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:31 AM » WEDNESDAY | 15 JULY 2026 | LUDHIANA Farmers make Ladhowal toll barrier Commuters to pay more as state’s expensive toll plaza hikes charges free for 5 hrs over land pooling policy Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Say will again give vehicles a free pass if demands not met; firm faces loss of over ~50L Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 14 Farmer organisations on Tuesday made the Ladhowal toll barrier free for commuters. Motorists passed the state’s expensive toll barrier without paying during the protest. Farmers raised slogans against the government during the protest. Farmers started the protest at the toll plaza at 11 am, allowing public vehicles to pass without paying toll tax. The protest was primarily against the state government’s ‘land pooling policy’. Furthermore, the farmers had long been demanding justice in cases of land mortgages. Farmers said the proposed India-US free trade agreement could be detrimental to the interests of the agricultural sector and local farmers. The plan for the massive protest was announced earlier to make all toll barriers in the state free on Tuesday, said Jagjit Singh Dallewal, national convener of the nonpolitical Samyukta Kisan Lohara man dies by suicide; in-laws booked Ludhiana, July 14 A man died by suicide by jumping into the Gill Canal five months after his marriage. Before his death, he shot a video in which he accused his wife and her parents of mentally harassing him. Karandeep of Lohara in the video stated: “My father-in-law works in a government department while my brother-in-law is a lawyer. They were using their positions to threaten my family. My argument with wife was that she should wake up early so that she could finish her chores on time. But my in-laws used to create an issue over the matter.” He died by suicide on July 12 and his body was found in the canal on the next day. On the basis of a complaint from hisfather, a case has been filed against his wife, father-in-law and three brothers-in-law. — TNS Farmers allowing free passage to a vehicle at the Ladhowal toll barrier during the protest in Ludhiana on Tuesday. ASHWANI DHIMAN Morcha (SKM) and president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta-Sidhupur). Dallewal, while targeting the government, alleged that efforts were being made to acquire state’s fertile agricul- tural land and hand it over to large corporate houses. The land pooling policy was a step in this direction, which farmers would not accept at any cost. Vipin Rai, manager, Ladhowal toll barrier, said due to the protest, the company managing the toll plaza suffered over Rs 50 lakh. Earlier also, whenever the toll was made free by farmers, the company faced losses in lakhs. The protest started at 11 am and ended at 4 pm. Members of the farmer unions warned that if the government would not pay heed to their demands, they would again make the toll barrier free for commuters. Ludhiana, July 14 The state’s expensive toll plaza has again hiked the toll rates and commuters have to pay the increased charges from July 14 only while using the National Highway-44. The rates have been increased by Rs 10 to Rs 65, putting burden on people’s pockets. Notably this is the second hike within three months as charges were also revised on April 1 by Rs 5. As per the notification issued by the NHAI, it states that car, jeep and van at the Ladhowal barrier have to shell out Rs 10 more. The toll has been revised to Rs 235 for a single journey and Rs 350 for a double journey. A single trip of LCV/LGV/mini bus will be charged Rs 380 instead of Rs 365 and a double trip will be Rs 570, which was Rs 550 earlier. A single trip for bus and truck (two axles) will cost Rs 795 instead of Rs 770 and a double trip will be Rs 1,190 instead of Rs 1,155. Three-axle commercial vehicles have to shell out Rs 865 instead of Rs 840 for a single trip and Rs 1,300 instead of 1,260 for a double Toll rates have been increased by ~10 to ~65 The hike in toll charges is the second within three months. FILE trip. Four to six-axle vehicles will pay Rs 1,245 instead of 1,205 and Rs 1,865 instead of Rs 1,810 for a single and double trip, respectively. While oversized vehicles have to shell out Rs 1,515 and Rs 2,270 instead of Rs 1,470 and Rs 2,205 for single and double trips, respectively. Vipin Rai, manager, Ladhowal toll barrier, said the toll tax rates were determined based on the wholesale price index (WPI). The fee is determined based on the length of the road, flyover, underpass and facilities provided. Project Director, National Highways Authority of India, in a notification issued stated that the rate of monthly pass for a person who owns a mechanical vehicle regis- Glass enclosure of Ambedkar’s Snatchers’ gang facing 18 statue found broken, protest held cases busted, two nabbed Ludhiana, July 14 After the glass enclosure of Dr BR Ambedkar was found broken at the Jalandhar Bypass Chowk, members of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) held a peaceful protest. Some other activists had also condemned the act and demanded immediate arrest of miscreants who were responsible for the same. A stone was also reportedly found near the statue which was suspected to be thrown at the glass enclosure. After receiving information, BSP leaders and workers rushed to the spot and raised slogans against the police and administration. They said the glass was so thick that it could not be broken in one go and it seemed that some miscreants could have repeatedly The broken enclosure of Dr BR Ambedkar's statue at the Jalandhar Bypass Chowk in Ludhiana on Tuesday. ADCP-1 VISITS SPOT, TELLS SHO TO NAB SUSPECTS ADCP-1 Sameer Verma visited the spot and directed the SHO to intensify the probe and nab the persons involved in the act. The police are also checking footage of safe city cameras to solve the matter. hit the same. Jatinder Adiya, a social worker, also demanded that the police should register a case and arrest the suspects. After the incident, ADCP1 Sameer Verma also visit- ed the spot and directed the area SHO to intensify the probe and nab the persons involved in the act. The police are also checking footage of safe city cameras to solve the matter. — TNS Ludhiana, July 14 The Ludhiana police claimed to have busted a gang of snatchers and arrested two of its members. The police also recovered two stolen motorcycles, 16 mobiles and one sharp weapon from their possession. ADCP Sameer Verma said as the police had recently launched a campaign against thieves and snatchers in the police zone, the efforts yielded results with the arrest of two gang members, who are already facing 18 cases registered against them in the past. Verma said SHO, Salem Tabri police station, inspector Harshvir Singh, along with ASI Jindar Lal Sidhu, incharge, ELDECO police post, were patrolling in the police station area. On suspicion they stopped two motorcycle- Tribune News Service Commuters navigate a stretch of Noorwala road that is yet to be recarpeted. ASHWANI DHIMAN Ludhiana, July 14 Residents and shopkeepers on Noorwala Road continue to face inconvenience as the reconstruction of the road remains delayed despite sewerage pipeline work having progressed over the past several weeks. The delay, allegedly caused by poor coordination between the Municipal Corporation’s Building and Roads (B&R) branch and the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Cell, has left a nearly 2-km stretch in a damaged condition. The affected stretch extends from Shivpuri Chowk to Basant Vihar, where the road was dug up for laying sewerage pipelines. Though a major portion of the pipeline work has been completed, the road has not been restored, forcing thousands of commuters to travel c m y b through broken stretches filled with loose soil, dust and uneven surfaces. With the monsoon having arrived, residents fear that the damaged road will soon turn into a muddy stretch, making commuting even more difficult. Shopkeepers also say the prolonged construction has badly affected their businesses as customers are avoiding the area due to poor road conditions. Rajesh Kumar, who runs a shop on Noorwala Road, said the road had remained dug up for over two months. “The affected stretch is around two km long and nearly 200 shopkeepers are dependent on the road. The business has suffered badly as customers find it difficult to reach our shops. The road has not been restored even though work has been going on for weeks,” he said. Local residents said dust generated by passing vehi- Building inspector suspended in multi-storey illegal structure case Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service The suspects in police custody in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA borne persons for checking. They were identified as Ramandeep Singh, alias Raja, and Harbhajan Singh, alias Bhajna, residents of Chitti Colony, Bhattian, here. During a preliminary probe, it was found that the motorcycles the suspects were riding was stolen and they were on the way to sell them. The suspects also confessed that they are accustomed to robbing passers-by pointing sharp weapons. Most of the time, they snatch mobiles and money from passers-by and also commit vehicle thefts, the ADCP said, adding that on Tuesday,they were going to to sell stolen mobiles and motorcycles to a person on the GT Road. They had a criminal background as Ramandeep is facing six criminal cases and Harbhajan is facing 12 cases, filed against them in the past.— TNS Delay in Noorwala Road restoration work troubles commuters, traders Sukhpreet Singh tered for non-commercial purpose and resides within a distance of 20 km from the toll plaza for the year 2026-27 will be Rs 360, which was Rs 350 earlier. The rate of annual pass for a person who owns a mechanical vehicle registered for non-commercial purpose, having a valid and functional FASTag for the year 2026-27 will be Rs 3,075. Notification states that FASTag is mandatory for all vehicles plying on the national highway. Since the hike was to be implemented from July 14, the Ladhowal toll barrier could not implement it from 11 am to 4 pm on Tuesday as farmers had made the toll barrier free for commuters during their protest. cles had become another major problem. They claimed that pedestrians, schoolchildren and two-wheeler riders were finding it difficult to use the road safely due to potholes and uneven patches created after excavation. Congress leader Mannu Arora alleged that the issue had been repeatedly raised before the authorities, but no permanent solution had been provided. He claimed that excavation work on the road began in April and only one side of the pipeline work had been completed. “Half of the sewerage pipeline has already been laid but work on the remaining portion has come to a standstill. The contractor has reportedly stopped the work, claiming that pending payments have not been released. The public is paying the price for the delay,” Arora said. He said with the rainy sea- son now underway, the condition of the road was likely to deteriorate further if the restoration work was not taken up immediately. Waterlogging and muddy conditions could make the stretch unsafe for commuters and cause additional problems for nearby residents and shopkeepers. Residents have urged the Municipal Corporation to improve coordination between its departments, solve any pending issues delaying the project and complete the pipeline work and road restoration at the earliest. They said prolonged delays in civic works not only inconvenience the public but also affect local businesses and increase the risk of accidents on busy roads. Despite repeated attempts, Amanpreet Singh, Joint Commissioner, MC, did not respond to calls. Ludhiana, July 14 The Local Government Department has suspended Municipal Corporation building inspector Dilip Soni in connection with the controversial multi-storey illegal building construction in Sundar Nagar. During the suspension period, his headquarters have been shifted to Moga. The action follows a recommendation made by former Municipal Commissioner Neeru Katyal Gupta to the Local Government Department after the matter came under scrutiny. The case had attracted attention following complaints over the alleged illegal construction of the building. A complaint regarding the issue was also filed before the Punjab Human Rights Commission, which had issued a notice to the then Municipal Commissioner. The corporation later initiated action against the building. Dilip had remained posted in Zone B for a long period. However, after the controversy surrounding the Sundar Nagar building surfaced, he was transferred to Zone C, where he later took charge as building inspector. Even after his transfer, complaints regarding his functioning continued to surface. In recent days, allegations have been raised over the construction of a commercial building on the service lane between Vishwakarma Chowk and Dholewal Chowk. It has also been alleged that illegal shops are being constructed in Janakpuri. Residents have claimed that notices were issued in some cases but no further action was taken. The Sundar Nagar case had also seen a political controversy. During the demolition drive, Congress councillor Arun Sharma had opposed it. However, the suspension of the inspector is being seen as part of the department’s action in the case.