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P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 38°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6:58 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:42 AM WEDNESDAY | 29 APRIL 2026 | LUDHIANA No bidders for 4th time, MC re-tenders waste mgmt, road sweeping projects Deadline extended till May 18, repeated failure to find takers raises concerns Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 28 For the fourth consecutive time, the Municipal Corporation (MC) has failed to attract any bidder for its two major projects, integrated solid waste management and mechanised road sweeping, worth over Rs 1,500 crore. Officials said the civic body has again re-tendered both projects two days ago and extended the deadline for submission of bids till May 18. The repeated failure to find bidders has raised serious concerns over project planning and execution, even as the city continues to struggle with poor waste management and unclean roads. Superintending Engineer Sham Lal Gupta said: “Projects have been re-tendered and earlier, no bid was received so after making minor changes, we have re-floated the tenders till May 18.” The waste management project is aimed at ensuring scientific collection, segregation, transportation and processing of municipal waste generated in the city. It includes setting up of processing plants, handling of Heaps of garbage lying unattended under the Lakkar Bridge in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN legacy waste and improving overall waste disposal systems. The project is considered crucial as Ludhiana generates a large quantity of solid waste daily, much of which is currently dumped without proper treatment, leading to environmental and health concerns. The mechanised road sweeping project, on the other hand, is intended to deploy modern machines for cleaning major roads across the city. The plan was to replace manual sweeping on key stretches with automated systems to improve efficien- cy and reduce dust pollution. The largest component is the Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) project. Initially floated at Rs 3,300 per tonne, the tender did not attract any bids. The MC revised the rate to Rs 4,221 per tonne, bringing the total estimated eightyear project cost to over Rs 1,400 crore. Earlier, the estimated cost of the project was over Rs 1,244 crore. Road sweeping tenders have seen similar escalations. The internal road sweeping contract covering roughly 2,500 km has been re-floated at Rs 1,800 per km, more than double the previous Rs 867 per km rate, with a total three-year cost of nearly Rs 70 crore. The main road sweeping tender has jumped from Rs 827 per km to Rs 2,500 per km for 697 km, bringing the total estimated expenditure to Rs 80 crore. It comes despite the MC already operating its own machinery and outsourcing sweeping for 153 km to a private company. Both project escalations were done in previous tenders when they were floated. The projects have been in the pipeline for a long time and were projected as key steps towards improving the city’s sanitation under national cleanliness initiatives. However, despite multiple attempts, the tenders have failed to draw any response from private players. Sources said certain conditions in tender documents, financial viability concerns and risk-sharing clauses could be among reasons discouraging bidders. Though officials claim that “minor changes” have been made, it remains unclear whether these modifications will be enough to attract participation this time. The delay in finalising these projects has already impacted the city’s cleanliness. Garbage handling remains inefficient and many areas continue to face irregular lifting of waste. The absence of mechanised sweeping has meant continued dependence on manual systems, which are often inadequate for a city of Ludhiana’s size. With the deadline now extended till May 18, all eyes are on whether the fourth attempt will finally see bidders coming forward. PSPCL to centralise 39 power grids in city for faster fault detection Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 28 In a major step towards modernising the city’s electricity infrastructure, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has initiated centralisation of 39 power grids across Ludhiana. The move aims to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply by enabling quicker fault detection and resolution. According to a senior official, a special control room is being established in Sarabha Nagar to monitor the entire city’s power network. Once fully operational, all grids will be connected to the centralised system, allowing real-time tracking of faults and immediate corrective measures. One of the major advantages of the system will be that whenever there would be any electricity-related problem or fault in any area of the city, information will reach the control room. The upgrade is expected to significantly reduce downtime and improve efficiency in power distribution as teams can be directed to resolve the issue. “As soon as a fault occurs, the relevant team will be dispatched promptly to fix the issue. At present, the An official said a special control room was being set up in Sarabha Nagar to monitor the entire city’s power network. ASHWANI DHIMAN city’s power grids are located at different places but all grids will soon be connected through new lines so that the entire network is linked. With the centralised system, faults will be detected quickly and maintenance work will be carried out more efficiently,” an official said. Sending employees to the site of a fault will now become faster. At present, whenever a fault occurs, workers need permits from officers, which takes time due to signatures and approvals. Now, the problem will be resolved, reducing the duration of power supply interruptions. The use of new Beware of gang staging fake mishaps Miscreants open fire at house on roads in city to ‘extort money’ Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 28 People driving four-wheelers, especially women and the elderly, have been falling prey to fraudsters on city roads. Such miscreants stage accidents at busy traffic signals and road junctions in the city. The gang also threatens police action if money is not paid. Most of the drivers, to avoid any legal trouble, give money to the suspects. Since a few hundreds or thousands of rupees are being extorted by the fraudsters, the victims hesitate in filing police complaints. Now, a complaint in this regard has been forwarded to the Commissioner of Police (CP), Ludhiana, for necessary Toddler dies as bus hits e-rickshaw Ludhiana, April 28 Two-and-a half-year-old Gursirat Kaur died in a collision between a bus and an e-rickshaw in the Ladhowal area on Tuesday. Deceased’s family members were also injured. Complainant Anmol Singh said he and his family were travelling in an e-rickshaw from Khajoor Chowk. As they reached Ladhowal, a private bus coming from the rear at a high speed hit the e-rickshaw. The impact of the collision was so severe that the e-rickshaw was damaged and all occupants were injured. Passers-by came to the rescue of the victims. Police sources said the injured were taken to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared the two-and-a-halfyear-old girl dead. Manjeet Kaur suffered serious injuries. ASI Manjit Singh said the police arrested the bus driver and launched a probe. — TNS Most of the motorists pay suspects to avoid any legal trouble action so that people can be saved from such frauds. Dhawal Aggarwal, a city resident in a complaint to the CP , states that when a car stops at traffic signals or in traffic jams, a few bike riders approach and position themselves close to the vehicle, alleging that the car has run over their foot or hit them. Afterwards, they stage or fabricate an accident scenario and claim injury. Within moments, a few individuals gather around the vehicle and behave aggressively with the driver. If the driver, acting in good faith, offers to take the injured person to a hospital, a medical check-up might reveal only minor injuries (possibly preexisting) but if the driver is confident that no contact was occurred, the group resorts to intimidation, threats and aggressive behaviour. “The gang further exploit situations where the driver may not be wearing a seat belt or is using a mobile phone, increasing pressure and fear. Ultimately, in most cases, the situation ends with money being forcibly extorted from the driver. Such individuals consider elderly and women drivers as their easy targets” he said. Aggarwal says that he was raising the concern as similar incidents have occurred recently to many individuals known to him. “ A friend of mine encountered such a situation at Dugri Canal Bridge red light and was forced to pay ?40,000. Even my uncle faced a similar situation at ATI College red light on Gill Road and narrowly avoided payment. A woman reported a similar incident at Dugri Canal Bridge,” he said Dial 100 or 112 for help Motorists have been advised to remain cautious, avoid confrontation, if possible, and immediately dial 100 or 112 and try to record video evidence if they suspect they are being targeted by such gangs. Similar fake accident rackets have surfaced in other cities of the state in the past, prompting police warnings to commuters. Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 28 Unidentified bike-borne assailants fired at the gate of a house in Rumi village, Jagraon, on the night intervening Sunday and Monday. The incident spreads panic in the area. The house belongs to a person who stays in Canada. On the complaint of a woman, a case was registered against the unidentified assailants and a probe was launched. SHO, Sadar, Jagraon, inspector Nitish Chaudhary, said the house owner had gone to Canada over two years ago. His mother, wife and two children are staying in the house. On the night intervening Sunday and Monday, two unidentified bike-borne persons came and fired six rounds of bullets at Owner stays in Canada; CCTVs capture suspects; probe on the gate of the house. After hearing the loud sound, they woke up and checked the main gate, which was riddled with bullet holes. CCTV cameras installed nearby were examined. The footage showed two unidentified motorcycle riders firing directly at the main gate of the house in the morning with an unknown weapon and fleeing the spot, Chaudhary said. He said CCTV cameras installed nearby were then examined. The footage showed two unidentified motorcycle riders firing directly at the main gate of the house and fleeing within seconds. When asked if the house owner or any member of his family had rivalry with anyone or they received extortion calls, the SHO said the family had no enmity and they had also not received any threats in the past. Even villagers claimed that the victims were never involved in any dispute in the village. A case was registered against the suspects and CCTV cameras in nearby areas are also being checked to identify the attackers. “Police teams are following the exit route of the suspects with the help of the CCTV cameras. Suspects are captured in the CCTVs at some another village and now, further leads are being established in the case,” the inspector said. ‘Asees’ — a blessing for children with special needs Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 28 There appears to be a ray of hope for parents of children with special needs. The age group of 0–6 years is considered formative and early intervention during the period can make a significant difference. With proper care, attention and timely therapy, children with special needs can achieve a considerable degree of independence. However, due to lack of awareness and limited resources, especially among economically weaker sections, many parents fail to address these challenges, leaving children at a disadvantage. ‘Asees’, a new initiative, seeks to identify such children early and guide parents in nurturing and supporting their development effectively. Deputy Commissioner District administration to launch pilot project today The new initiative seeks to identify children with special needs early and guide their parents in nurturing and supporting their development effectively. Himanshu Jain said therapy sessions for children with special needs could be expensive, often costing up to Rs 4,000 per session. “Asees aims to help parents identify developmental concerns at an early stage and provide appropriate treatment, upbringing support and therapy. The project c m y b will initially be rolled out free of cost from the Red Cross centre in Sarabha Nagar. Once awareness increases, it will be expanded across the district,” he said. The ‘Asees Early Intervention Project’ is being launched in collaboration with the District Red Cross Society and will operate from the newly designated Asees Early Intervention Centre on the Red Cross premises in Sarabha Nagar. Ambar Bandopadhyay, head of the governance cell at the DC’s Office, who is overseeing the project, said it was designed to address the critical need for early identification and support for children with developmental delays. “The initiative aims to ensure that such children receive timely care, improving their long-term quality of life and ability to live independently,” he said. ASHA workers, anganwadi workers and auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) will act as the primary link between the project and the community. They are currently undergoing training to identify early warning signs of developmental challenges and use technology-backed support systems integrated into the Asees centre. The administration will begin a pilot run on April 29 across three government dispensaries in Sarabha Nagar, Model Town and BRS Nagar. “The pilot phase will help test the collaborative framework and refine service delivery before a full-scale launch. Through a community-led approach, the intervention centre aims to create a replicable model that enables the seamless integration of children with special needs into mainstream society,” the Deputy Commissioner said. technology will also reduce manpower requirements and increase work efficiency. With the start of the project, issues such as frequent tripping and long power cuts in the city will be significantly improved. The modernisation project is part of PSPCL’s broader initiative to strengthen Ludhiana’s electricity system and provide residents with reliable service. “With the centralised monitoring facility, engineers will be able to identify technical issues swiftly and deploy solutions without delay, thereby minimising inconvenience to consumers,” said a senior official. Mobile snatched from woman Ludhiana, April 28 A snatching incident reported near the court complex on Ferozepur Road here. Two bikeborne assailants snatched a mobile phone from a woman, Ritu, at knifepoint. Ritu said she worked at a gaming zone and was returning home after duty. As she reached the petrol station outside the courts, she received a call. When she was walking while talking on the phone, two youths on a bike came. They brandished a knife and threatened to kill her if she did not give them her mobile. Out of fear, she handed over her iPhone 12 to them. She said she was also wearing a chain but since it was artificial, they did not take it. Afterwards, she called the police and reported the incident. The police filed a case and launched a probe. — TNS Migrant worker found murdered Ludhiana, April 28 A migrant worker was found murdered with a sharp weapon in Mandiani village, Mullanpur Dakha on Tuesday. He was identified as Sitaram, a native of UP at , present staying in Khanna. He worked at Sukhwinder Singh’s motor room in the fields. Preliminaryproberevealedthatprior to the incident, he was consuming liquor with some people. The police also seized a sharp weapon. His father Varinder Thakur said two days ago, his son told him over phone that he was receiving death threats from somebody. The police should probe the matter thoroughly. SHO, Dakha, Kuljinder Singh and a forensic team inspected the crime scene. He said the victim was repeatedly hit on the face with a sharp weapon. So far, it was a blind case and they were probing all angles. — TNS