27082025-LT-01.qxd 8/27/2025 1:00 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune LAND MEANT FOR SCHOOL TURNS INTO COW DUNG DUMP SITE Land, leased at ~1 per sq yard per month, was meant to provide Right to Education to poor children. P2 » SHORTAGE OF ANMS CRIPPLES MATERNAL HEALTH SERVICES CELEBRITIES SHARE THEIR DEVOTION FOR LORD GANESHA Of the 336 sanctioned posts, 136 remain vacant, leaving existing staff overburdened. P3 Ganesh Chaturthi is more than just a festival -— it’s an emotion that binds traditions & communitytogether. P4 » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 27°C | MIN 24°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.52 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:57 AM » WEDNESDAY | 27 AUGUST 2025 | LUDHIANA Rain spells chaos on roads, hits life Downpour expected in parts of region today; trees uprooted in many areas Apple-laden truck overturns near Sherpur Chowk flyover Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August26 Weather experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) have predicted that rainfall will continue in the region, with moderate to heavy rain expected in its several parts on Wednesday. In the past 24 hours, the district recorded 39.6 mm of rainfall. Dr PK Kingra, Head of the Meteorology Department at the PAU, said the rain was not harmful for the standing paddy crop as of now. However, in the city, continuous downpour has thrown normal life out of gear, leaving roads muddy and slushy. Educational institutions, especially government schools, reported thin attendance. “Students are unable to reach schools on bicycles and even autos are not available on time. For the past three-four days, attendance has remained extremely low,” said Charanjit Kaur, principal, Government Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road. Administration officials, meanwhile, assured that the situation remains under control. “Though it has been raining continuously, the flow of the Sutlej is not alarming. Teams are monitoring the situation closely,” DC Himanshu Jain said. The rain has also hit artisans making Lord Ganesha idols on Ferozepur Road. Markets too witnessed a slowdown, with shops opening late and people struggling to reach Ludhiana, August 26 A truck loaded with apples overturned near the Sherpur Chowk flyover here on Tuesday. Fortunately, no loss of life or injury to any commuters reported in the incident. However, the truck got damaged badly in the incident. Even a large number of crates scattered on the road, creating major traffic disruption on the highway. Passers-by pulled out the driver and his helper trapped in the truck and informed the police. The traffic police reached the scene and restored traffic. The traffic police and the TRUCK HITS DIVIDER WHILE SAVING YOUTHS The truck driver, Javed Alam, said when he was going to deliver apples from Srinagar to Madhya Pradesh in the morning, two persons were crossing the road near Sherpur Chowk. They came in front of the truck. While trying to save the young men, the truck hit the divider and overturned. passers-by helped the truck driver by gathering the scattered crates on the highway. The truck driver, Javed Alam, said when he was going to deliver apples from Srinagar to Madhya Pradesh in the morning, two persons were crossing the road near Sherpur Chowk. They came in front of the truck. While trying to save the young men, the truck hit the divider and overturned. “We faced huge losses due to the incident. With the help of the people, we came out of the truck. Fortunately, nobody was injured. Apple boxes got scattered on the road. People also helped by collecting the scattered apples,” the truck driver said. He said he had informed the truck owner about the incident. After his arrival, the vehicle would be sent to the workshop and goods would be shifted to another vehicle. Clockwise from top: Motorists commute through waterlogged Rahon Road; passers-by try to help a man whose auto overturned on Hambran Road; and workers and residents remove an uprooted tree from a road in Jawahar Nagar Camp on Tuesday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN & ASHWANI DHIMAN their workplaces due to waterlogging and traffic disruptions. On Hambran Road, at Bhai Bala Chowk, Basti Jodhewal and on Tajpur Road, waterlogging was witnessed and traffic was seen moving at a snail’s pace. At Basti Jodhewal, a woman slipped and fell off a two-wheeler but did not get any injury. Residents write to PSPCL Perturbed over no light and water in the area for 28 hours, residents of Akash Nagar have written to the PSPCL to rectify the issue. Jagjit Singh, a resident, complained that power supply was not available on Monday from 3 am to 9 pm due to which people could not get water supply from tube wells. “On Monday night, power supply was restored but they failed to get water supply as a tube well got damaged. on Tuesday morning, when the people started taking water from a tube well, power supply again got disrupted. We are paying taxes still we are deprived of basic infra,” he said. In many areas of the city, trees were uprooted due to continuous rain and winds. One of the councillors said almost all Class IV employees of the MC were busy attending complaints related to felling of the trees on roads and vehicles. The mangled remains of the truck that overturned near Sherpur Chowk flyover. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Passing through waterlogged South City underpass a nightmare for commuters Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 26 The South City underpass, a key access route to one of Ludhiana’s most upscale residential and commercial areas, was again submerged in knee-deep water following continuous rain for the past three days, leaving commuters stranded and sparking outrage over city’s chronic drainage failures. Despite repeated complaints and assurances, the underpass continues to flood every time it rains, turning a routine drive into a harrowing ordeal. On Tuesday morning, dozens of vehicles were seen stalled on the waterlogged stretch. Some decided to turn back midway, seeing a pool of water, which led to traffic chaos. Among those affected was Harpreet Singh, a resident of Kitchlu Nagar, whose car broke down in the middle of the underpass. “I was going to drop my son to school when the car engine gave up. Water had seeped into the exhaust. We had to push the vehicle out with the help from passers-by. It isn’t only inconvenient but also dangerous,” he said, visibly frustrated. The stagnant water not only disrupted traffic but also posed health risks, with foul smells and mosquito breeding already reported by nearby residents. Local shop- keepers said their business drops sharply on such days as customers avoid the flooded route. South City, known for its premium housing and market area, has one of the worst approach roads in the city. The underpass, meant to ease traffic flow, has become a symbol of civic neglect. “It’s baffling that such a posh locality has such pathetic connectivity. The underpass is like a trap every monsoon,” said Renu Sharma, a daily commuter. In response to mounting complaints, the authorities dispatched workers to pump out the water by noon. “We’ve started the dewatering process and are reviewing long- term solutions,” said an official on duty. However, residents remain skeptical. “We hear same promises every year. What we need is a permanent fix, not temporary repair works,” said Gurpreet Kaur, who has filed multiple complaints with the civic body. With monsoon still active, residents fear more such episodes in coming weeks. As Ludhiana expands, the disconnect between infrastructure and planning becomes more glaring. For South City residents, the underpass is no longer just a road — it’s a recurring reminder of how civic priorities often fail to meet public needs, adds Kritika, a member of an NGO. Despite repeated complaints, it continues to flood every time it rains A two-wheeler rider struggles to pass through the flooded South City underpass in Ludhiana following incessant rain. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN After FIR for misusing multi-crore govt facility, MC seals stadium Miscreant fires at ROW OVER SHASTRI parked car, CCTV BADMINTON HALL captures incident Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 26 In a major development, the famous Shastri Badminton Hall, situated near Rakh Bagh, was sealed by officials of the Municipal Corporation on Tuesday. The action comes after several complaints were received against Anupam Kumaria, secretary of the Ludhiana Badminton Association, regarding his alleged illegal control and running of a private academy inside the hall. It is also viewed as the end of the 15 years’ illegal occupation as Kumaria had also been running the unauthorised Ludhiana Badminton Academy registered at his residence without government approval and he was operating his personal Players sit outside the Shastri Badminton Hall sealed by the civic body in Ludhiana on Tuesday. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN academy at the Shastri hall. After the development, players who daily come for practice at the stadium also gathered outside it and expressed that locking of the stadium would hit the practice of players as many of them are already preparing for upcoming badminton tournaments. Guardians accompanying the players urged the administration to open the stadium as soon as possible so that players can continue their practice. Earlier, Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain had ordered a probe into the matter, which led to the registration of an FIR against officials of the badminton association and academy. Following his appearance before investigators, Kumaria was granted a regular bail by a local court. The matter remains under investigation. Despite these proceedings, the hall continued to remain under the same management till Tuesday, when MC officials formally took control and locked the premises. Jain assured that the hall would reopen within two days. “I have checked with the Municipal Corporation. Some urgent repair work and safety checks were required, due to which the hall has been closed temporarily,” he said. He said issues regarding the hall’s management had been under review for several days but emphasised that students’ training would not be hampered. “For us, the practice of students and players is most crucial. We appeal to parents to cooperate, as it is a matter of safety and security,” he said. The DC further assured that a qualified coach would soon be appointed and a c m y b proper management system be put in place for the smooth functioning of the hall. The development is considered a major setback to Anupam Kumaria, who had been allegedly exercising illegal control over the hall for the past 15 years. Municipal Commissioner Aadtiya Dachalwal told The Tribune that Shastri Badminton Hall was a property of the corporation and now, its full control was taken back. Now, the government would run its affairs in a transparent manner so that every player gets a chance to play by just paying a nominal fee. Meanwhile, sources said though the MC claimed to have sealed the stadium on the pretext of repair and taking control, which was under illegal hands, it was learnt that a tussle between two groups to take control of the facility was going on for a long time as one group was adamant to take control of the same. Players’ practice won’t stop, says DC “The hall has only been temporarily closed for two days. Sealing was necessary for safety checks and repair work. Players’ practice will not be disrupted. We appeal to parents for their cooperation. I assure that a qualified coach would soon be appointed and a transparent management system would be implemented,” the DC said. Reports highlighted misuse of facility Reports published in these columns had highlighted the misuse of multi-crore facility and the Shashtri Badminton Hall by officerbearers. Following the same, the DC had formed a SIT to investigate the fraud. After the SIT probe, an FIR was registered against officer-bearers of the Ludhiana Badminton Association. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 26 Unidentified persons fired at a parked car in SAS Nagar mohalla, causing panic in the area. The vehicle belongs to an Income Tax lawyer, which was parked outside his house. The police also recovered an empty bullet shell from inside the car. On the complaint of the car owner, Vinkal Sharma, a case was registered against the unidentified person under the Arms Act and sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The complainant in a statement to the police stated that he had parked his Maruti Ritz car outside his house on the night of August 24. When he woke up in the morning, there was a mark of gunshot on the vehicle. On checking CCTV camera, it was found that an unidentified person came and fired at one of the front windowpanes of the car from a pistol and fled the scene. Investigating officer assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Joginder Singh said after registering a case, further probe was launched and the CCTV footage was procured from the complainant for further investigation.