31032025-LT-01.qxd 3/30/2025 11:40 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune ~8.8 CRORE RENOVATION FOR ROSE GARDEN ISHAAN RAISES TEMPERATURE AS HE FLAUNTS CHISELLED ABS SALMAN KHAN’S EIDI, SIKANDAR, IS SO DISAPPOINTING Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora lays foundation stone for beautification and renovation of Rose Garden. P2 On 4th day of Lakme Fashion Week, Ishaan caught everyone’s attention with his hot showstopper look. P4 Sikandar that starts off with usual bad guy getting bashed up by superhero is a project that should have remained on paper. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 35°C | MIN 14°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.45 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:16 AM » MONDAY | 31 MARCH 2025 | LUDHIANA From April 1, Ladhowal Toll Plaza to Will ensure citizen-oriented policing: Police Commissioner burn a hole in pocket of commuters Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Nikhil Bhardwaj NHAI announces 5% hike in user charges Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 30 Ladhowal Toll Plaza, state’s costliest barrier, is again set to burn a hole in the pocket of commuters as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced to hike toll rates by 5 per cent from April 1. Confirming the hike, senior manager Bipin said revised toll rates would be applicable from April 1. Ladhowal Toll Plaza had begun commercial operations on May 11, 2009. After the announcement of hiked charges, there is a huge resentment among the commuters. Slamming the Central Government, they said instead of reducing toll charges, the NHAI announced another hike. The people also blamed Ludhiana-based BJP leaders for failing to take up the issue with party high command. “The highway for which toll rates are being hiked is in dire straits. The entire stretch is full of potholes,” said aggrieved residents. Ladhowal Toll Plaza currently ranks seventh in toll collection among 949 plazas operational across the country. Around Rs 300 crore toll At present, Ladhowal Toll Plaza ranks seventh in toll collection among 949 operational plazas in the country. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA was collected at Ladhowal during the last fiscal (202324), the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had confirmed. In last five financial years, the authorities collected Rs 878.67 crore at Ladhowal Toll Plaza. This includes collec- tion of Rs 296.37 crore in 202324, followed by Rs 247.47 crore in 2022-23, Rs 205.41 crore in 2019-20, Rs 74.07 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 55.35 crore in 2021-22. The low collections were attributed to lockdown imposed by the Centre in the wake of Covid-19. At present, a car driver pays Rs 220 for one way and Rs 330 for the round trip, but with new rates kicking in on April 1, one way will cost Rs 230 and Rs 345 for the round trip. User charges for a light vehicle are Rs 355 for one way and Rs 535 for round trip but now it will be Rs 370 and Rs 555, respectively. Similarly, a truck driver pays Rs 745 for one way and Rs 1,120 for round trip, but now they will shell out Rs 775 and Rs 1,160, respectively. The rate of monthly pass will also increase accordingly. Ludhiana, March 30 Swapan Sharma, who took over as the Police Commissioner of Ludhiana, has set a five point agenda for better and public-oriented policing. During a meeting with all police officers, incharges of crime cells and heads of police stations, he briefed his men about his agenda. “Ludhiana city is not new to me. My first posting was in Ludhiana as a trainee SHO. Then I joined as ACP (North) and also had a charge of ACP (Traffic). I can still remember my initiatives when I controlled the traffic issues and took action against illegal autos. With the help of residents, the Ludhiana police will launch a number of initiatives and justice will be delivered in a time-bound manner,” said the Police Commissioner. He said his first priority would be to control crime and instil a sense of security among the residents. We would ensure that people feel secure and criminals face the heat. He said his second priority would be to continue anti-drug campaign, which was launched by his successor. Swapan Sharma assumes charge as top cop Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma briefs the media. Sharma added that his third priority would be quick addressal of complaints and he would ensure that residents do not face any harassment at the hands of police officials. He added that he would review the status of pending complaints and would not tolerate unprofessional approach of cops. His fourth priority would be to break the backbone of organised crime, including extortion. The police would do listing of gangsters and criminals facing heinous cas- es, he added. Sharma said internal departmental coordination would be his fifth priority. “Sometimes public complaints take more time for disposal due to other engagements of the Investigating Officers. In such cases, staff of senior police officers will be entrusted with the task to dispose of complaints. The only purpose is to provide convenience to the complainant and dispose of complaints in a time-bound manner,” he said. Seven assault bank Ludhiana MC recovers ~149 cr property tax Trader loses ~50K Zonal Suvidha Kendras to remain open today manager, booked in pickpocketing Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 30 A bank manager was attacked by seven assailants near Gill Chowk. The accused have been identified as Manjot Singh Bajwa, alias King Bajwa, a resident of Atam Nagar, Sanju Mehra, alias Sam, and Vicky, both resident of Dashmesh Nagar, and four unknown persons. Complainant Rishav Sharma, a resident of Dashmesh Nagar, told the police that he worked at IDFC First Bank’s branch situated at Millerganj Ludhiana. He said on March 27, he and his uncle son’s Agam Sharma were heading to Rishi Dhaba at Gill Chowk. The complainant said after parking his car, he had gone to buy bread and as he was going back home, an unknown person broke windshield of his car. “As the accused started running, I got out of the car and followed him. Soon, several companions of the accused reached the spot. As I rushed back towards the car, the accused overpowered me and thrashed me with sharpedged weapons,” he said. Investigating Officer ASI Dilbag Singh said they had registered a case on the charge of attempt to murder and would nab the accused soon. Ludhiana, March 30 Against annual recovery target of Rs 150 crore, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation has collected more than Rs 149 crore property tax by March 30. As it’s a government holiday on March 31 (Eid-ul Fitr), the MC has decided to keep its Zonal Suvidha Kendras open to facilitate the residents in paying pending property tax and sewer bills without penalty or interest. A 20 per cent penalty and 18 per cent annual interest would be imposed on the residents, if they fail to submit property tax by March 31. Mayor Inderjit Kaur and MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal appealed to the public to pay their pending taxes on time. Tribune News Service A 20 per cent penalty and 18 per cent annual interest will be imposed on defaulters. TRIBUNE PHOTO They said the amount collected in the form of taxes would be used for taking up development works and for providing basic amenities to the residents. Superintendents Ashok Garg and Rajeev Bhardwaj among other officials remained in the field to spread awareness among the residents. Working on the directions of MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal and Zonal Commissioner Neeraj Jain, the officials visited different areas, including Gandhi Nagar, Lakkar Bazar and Brown Road and appealed to the residents to pay their tax on time. For avoiding long queues, residents can also submit pending taxes online by visiting www.mcludhiana.gov.in. Ludhiana, March 30 An autorickshaw driver and his two companion picked the Haryana-based trader’s pocket of Rs 50,000 and fled after dropping him at the bus stand. Victim Manga Ram, a resident of Yamunanagar, Haryana, told the police that he had gone to Jagraon to place bulk order of potatoes. He said he boarded a train from Jagraon for Ludhiana. After coming out of the railway station, he sat on an autorickshaw, which was headed for the bus stand. There were three people, including the driver in the Non-BIS approved bicycles, parts flooding markets: Industrialists Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 30 Ludhiana-based cycle manufacturers have raised concerns over import of nonBureau of Indian Standards (BIS) approved bicycle and its parts from China. Importing bicycles require registration and the products must bear the ISI mark but Chinese exporters are flooding local markets without getting them registered. “The Ministry of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution has set benchmarks for bicycle parts under the BIS. However, Chinese exporters have not registered any of their products with the BIS,” said Badish Jindal, president of the World MSME Forum. “The import of these substandard bicycles and their parts should be banned immediately. Till the bicycle companies manufacturing Sub-standard products imported from China have eaten into more than 30 per cent sales of local industry. TRIBUNE PHOTOS these products do not get their products registered with the BIS, they should not be allowed to be exported to India. Penalty should be imposed on products which have reached the ports of India or are on the way,” added Jindal. Vinay Kansal, manufacturer of bicycle frames, said the provision of imposing anti-dumping duty on bicycles and its parts should be implemented soon in order to prevent closure of units c m y b manufacturing bicycles. Another bicycle manufacturer said, “Huge influx of nonBIS approved bicycles and its parts are entering India and choking our industry. The duplicate parts are 25 to 50 per cent less expensive. These non-BIS approved products have eaten more than 30 per cent of our sales,” he said. The World MSME Forum has also written to Union Minister for Commerce Piyush Goyal in this regard. autorickshaw. When he reached the bus stand and checked his pocket, Rs 50,000 were missing. As he raised an alarm and noted down the registration number of autorickshaw, the accused fled from the spot. Investigating Officer ASI Rajesh Kumar said a case had been registered on the statement of the victim. The police have arrested two persons, while their third accomplice was on the run. The accused have been identified Akshay Kumar, alias Bunty, Malkit Singh, alias Meeta, and Vijay Kumar, alias Tiku, who is absconding. Modular OT made functional at Civil Hospital Ludhiana, March 30 The newly constructed modular operation theatre (OT) at the Civil Hospital has been made functional, marking a significant step in strengthening healthcare services in the district. The modular OT has been designed to provide advanced surgical facilities with state-of-the-art technology, ensuring a safe and infection-free environment for patients. Civil Surgeon Dr Ramandeep Kaur said, “The establishment of this modular OT aligns with our commitment to providing high-quality surgical care to the people of Ludhiana. Equipped with modern infrastructure, it will enable surgeons to perform complex procedures efficiently.” — TNS