07112026-LT-01.qxd 11/7/2026 12:45 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune PAU YOUTH FEST COMES TO A CLOSE ON A VIBRANT NOTE 16-YR-OLD DELIVERS PIZZAS TO FUND HIS MUSICAL DREAMS DILJIT DOSANJH TO PERFORM AT LATIN GRAMMYS IN US Youth fest showcased talent, creativity and rich cultural heritage of students from constituent colleges of PAU. P3 Ritik delivers pizza orders in Jalandhar, saving earnings to pursue his dream of becoming a professional singer. P3 Diljit Dosanjh will be performing at 2026 Latin Grammy Awards to be held in Las Vegas on November 12. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 31°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5:31 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:41 AM SATURDAY | 7 NOVEMBER 2026 | LUDHIANA Celebrate green Diwali, take care of health, city residents advised Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 6 In view of the Diwali celebrations and adverse health effects of air pollution, the Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, Dr Ramandeep Kaur, has issued a special health advisory for residents of the district. She has appealed to the people to celebrate the festival with joy and enthusiasm while giving due importance to their health and the environment. She said smoke emitted by firecrackers pollutes the air and could seriously affect the health of patients suffering from heart and lung diseases, children, elderly people and pregnant women. Dr Ramandeep urged residents to celebrate an ecofriendly Diwali by lighting traditional lamps instead of bursting firecrackers. She advised patients suffering from asthma and other respi- Civil Surgeon says cracker smoke can affect heart patients, kids, elderly WHEN TO CONSULT DOC Civil Surgeon Ramandeep Kaur advised that anyone experiencing symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, persistent cough, wheezing, chest pain or tightness, dizziness, eye irritation or redness should consult the nearest doctor or visit a health facility during celebrations. << People have been urged to buy only approved green crackers. FILE ratory diseases to stay away from firecrackers and preferably remain indoors during nights when crackers are being burst. If firecrackers are used, people should purchase only approved green crackers from licensed shops and strictly follow govern- ment-prescribed timings and noise regulations. Regarding the use of masks, she stated that people may wear properly fitted N95 or N99 masks covering both nose and mouth, whenever required. Ordinary cloth masks, handkerchiefs and dupattas do not provide effective protection against fine air pollution particles. She also advised to maintain proper ventilation in homes and using wet mopping instead of dry sweeping for household cleaning. She further added that spe- cial precautions should be taken for children suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems. Regarding first aid in case of firecracker-related accidents, she advised that if a person’s clothes catch fire, the person should lie down and roll on the ground to extinguish the flames instead of running. The burnt area should be placed under clean, cool running water for 20 minutes. Ice, toothpaste, ghee or oil should not be applied to burns. In case of an eye injury, the affected eye should not be rubbed, and immediate medical attention should be sought. She also advised that anyone experiencing symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, persistent cough, wheezing, chest pain or tightness, dizziness, eye irritation or redness should consult the nearest doctor or visit a health facility. City chokes as residents throng markets for Dhanteras shopping Volatile prices of gold fail to dampen spirits of buyers Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 6 City markets witnessed a massive rush of shoppers on Dhanteras on Friday, with residents flocking to buy utensils, gold and silver items considered auspicious for the occasion. Heavy traffic snarls were reported on major roads, particularly outside jewellery showrooms on Rani Jhansi Road, Malhar Road and College Road, as vehicle queues stretched for long distances. The volatile prices of gold did little to deter buyers, who turned out in large numbers to make festive purchases. Ashim Nagpal from a gold jewellery firm said gold prices had witnessed significant fluctuations over the past two months, dropping to around Rs 1.39 lakh per 10 gm before climbing to approximately Rs 1.43 lakh per 10 gm on Friday. “Dhanteras is an occasion when people make substantial purchases and gold con- Safe City cameras targeted again, batteries stolen 15 pairs of special trains to ease festive rush Ludhiana, November 6 Batteries fitted to CCTV cameras installed under the Safe City project have been stolen in Dugri, Phase 2 here. It is the second such incident reported in the city in a few days, raising concerns over the safety of surveillance equipment installed to strengthen security. The latest theft came to light when Sunny Deol, a resident of Rupnagar and manager with the HFCL, the firm responsible for managing the Safe City CCTV network, noticed that batteries attached to cameras in Dugri, Phase 2, were missing. Following his complaint, the police registered an FIR against unidentified persons. Head constable Arpit Passi said a case had been registered. The police have started a probe to identify the suspects. In the previous incident, a similar theft was reported near Gill Road, where batteries fitted to Safe City cameras were stolen. The Shimlapuri police had filed a case against unidentified persons on November 1. With two such incidents reported within a short span, the theft of batteries from surveillance cameras has emerged as a concern for the authorities, as these equipment play an important role in monitoring public places and assisting the police in crime detection. — TNS Ludhiana, November 6 To manage the rush of passengers during Diwali and Chhath Puja, the Ferozepur Railway Division has introduced 15 pairs of special trains, making a total of 98 trips. The trains will connect major stations, including Ludhiana, Amritsar, Ferozepur Cantt, Jalandhar City and Chheharta, with several destinations in eastern India. Railway officials said around 70,000 to 80,000 passengers travel during the seven to eight days of the festive period, leading to a sharp increase in demand for trains, particularly towards Bihar and other eastern states. According to the railway authorities, five pairs of special trains will originate from Amritsar, six from Ludhiana, two from Ferozepur Cantt and one each from Jalandhar City and Chheharta. Several special trains from Ludhiana will operate towards Saharsa, Darbhanga, Gaya, Kolkata and Purnia. These services are aimed at providing additional travel options to passengers heading home for the festivals. Besides special trains, the division has attached two additional third AC coaches each to Ferozepur CanttPatna (04616) and Amritsar- Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service A heavy rush of passengers as they board a train at the railway station in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Barauni (04668) trains to accommodate more passengers. Officials said additional special trains could also be introduced if the rush warranted it. To manage the crowd at railway stations, temporary waiting areas covering around 3,700 sq m are being developed at Amritsar, Jalandhar City, Ludhiana and Dhandari Kalan stations. Of this, 2,500 sq m will be at Ludhiana, 300 sq m at Amritsar, 400 sq m at Jalandhar City and 500 sq m at Dhandari Kalan. At the Ludhiana railway station, an additional entry gate has been arranged on the multi-level car parking (MLCP) side. It will have a ticket counter, seating arrangements and a temporary waiting area. Catering stalls have also been provided at the location. Additional ticket counters have been opened at major stations while staff have been deployed at enquiry offices to assist passengers. The railway authorities have also made arrangements for announcements and display boards to provide information about train timings and services. Mobile UTS ticketing will also be made available in case of increased passenger footfall. Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel have been deployed at major stations to prevent overcrowding and ensure passenger safety. CCTV cameras and a war room at the divisional office in Ferozepur will monitor station activities round the clock. The division has also instructed catering and vending contractors to maintain adequate stocks of food and other essential items and sell them at prescribed rates. Parcel transactions at the Ludhiana railway station will remain temporarily suspended on rush days to ensure smoother passenger movement. Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Sanjeev Kumar said the arrangements had been made keeping in view the expected increase in passenger traffic during the festive season. He said the division was prepared to operate additional special trains, if required, and had deployed staff and security personnel at major stations to ensure safe and convenient movement of the passengers. People purchase gold on Dhanteras at a jewellery showroom in Ludhiana on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN tinues to be the preferred choice,” said Nagpal. Despite valet parking arrangements made by most jewellers, parking space remained scarce outside showrooms owing to the overwhelming footfall. “Gold and silver are always major attractions for homemakers on Dhanteras,” said Dolly, a city resident. Gold and silver coins were among the most sought-after purchases during the day. Rahul, an employee at a lead- ing crockery store in Ghumar Mandi, said thousands of customers had been visiting the shop during the festive season. “Staff members have their meals at the store and usually return home around 12.30 am during these peak business days,” he said. Besides gold, silver and utensils, residents were also seen buying brooms, salt, coriander seeds and turmeric sticks, all of which are regarded as auspicious purchases on Dhanteras. Trader found dead in car, suicide suspected Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 6 A 28-year-old hosiery trader was found dead inside his BMW car parked on the South City-Ladhowal bypass near Malakpur here on Friday afternoon. The police suspect that he died by suicide after allegedly shooting himself with his licensed pistol. The deceased, identified as Pulkit Popali, was a resident of Rishi Nagar and belonged to a family that runs a hosiery factory in the Bahadurke area. His body was found on the front passenger seat of the car by a PCR team during patrolling. Earlier in the day, his father had approached the Salem Tabri police station and lodged a missing-person complaint after Pulkit reportedly left home in the morning and stopped responding to phone calls. After receiving information about the incident, a team from the PAU police station, accompanied by senior officials, reached the scene. Deputy Commissioner of Police (City) Alam Vijay Singh and ADCPIII Dharavath Sai Prakash also visited the site. A forensic team was also called to examine the vehicle and collect evidence. ADCP Sai Prakash said the preliminary investigation indicated suicide. He said Pulkit Victim used his licensed pistol to shoot himself in forehead, says cop Pulkit Popali, the deceased. allegedly used his licensed .45bore pistol to shoot himself in the forehead near the temple. The weapon was recovered from the car and seized by the police. He said investigators had examined the possibility of another person being involved in the incident but found no evidence so far to suggest that anyone else was present in the vehicle. He said bloodstains were found on the driver’s seat while the deceased was lying on the front passenger seat. The police also noticed a bullet exit mark on the car window but no entry mark. CCTV footage from several locations was also examined, which, showed Pulkit alone in the vehicle. The reason why he was found on the passenger seat remains unclear and is part of the investigation. Railway station redevelopment project misses another deadline, June next target Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 6 The much-awaited redevelopment of the Ludhiana railway station has missed another deadline, with the Northern Railway now setting June 2027 as the fresh target for completion of the Rs 528.95-crore project. The work, which was earlier scheduled to be completed by December 2026, is expected to take another six months, leaving passengers waiting longer for a modern railway station. Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Sanjeev Kumar said the revised deadline for completing the redevelopment work was June next year. The project has faced repeated delays since its launch in February 2023, when it was taken up with the aim of transforming one of the busiest railway stations in the state. The project was initially scheduled for completion by August 2025. However, the deadline was subsequently extended to April 2026 and later to December 2026. With the latest revision, the completion target has now been pushed to the middle of 2027. One of the major reasons behind the delay is that the redevelopment is being carried out while the railway station continues to remain operational. The project involves extensive construction at an already busy railway junction, where train operations and passenger movement have to be maintained simultaneously. Railway officials had earlier explained that shifting existing offices, departments and other facilities to alternative locations and clearing space for construction took considerable time. This preparatory work alone affected the pace of execution, with the main construction activities getting delayed. The project was launched on February 2, 2023, and is being executed under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. It aims to give the British-era railway station a complete makeover with modern passenger facilities and improved infrastructure. The redevelopment plan includes a six-storey building at the main entrance, a threestorey multi-level parking facility, another three-storey building on the Civil Lines side, a hospital, a guest house and around 130 staff quarters. An elevated approach road, spacious concourse, foot overbridges and improved platform facilities are also part of the project. According to information, around 60 per cent of the work had been completed, while 40 per cent was still pending. The multi-level parking facility and the new c m y b hospital building have been completed while work on the main station building and several other components is continuing. The redevelopment has also posed challenges for passengers, as construction work has affected the availability of certain facilities and passenger movement. The station handles around 45,000 to 50,000 passengers daily, making it difficult to undertake large-scale construction without affecting routine operations. With another deadline announced, the railways will now have to accelerate the remaining work to ensure that the project is completed by June 2027. The redevelopment work of the railway station in progress in Ludhiana. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA