Despite repeated interventions by the Ludhiana traffic police and school administrations, chaotic and congested scenes continue to unfold outside numerous schools across the industrial city. The persistent issues of heavy traffic and unauthorized parking are causing significant inconvenience to daily commuters and raising serious safety concerns for students.
Police Directives Fail to Ease Congestion
In a bid to tackle the perennial problem, Ludhiana police issued clear instructions to schools in July 2025. The directive mandated that school authorities deploy traffic marshals and volunteers to assist the traffic department in managing the vehicular flow during the hectic morning and afternoon hours. The goal was straightforward: to ease congestion and ensure the smooth movement of people and vehicles around busy school zones.
However, on-the-ground observations reveal that the situation has seen little to no improvement, particularly in high-density residential and commercial areas. Key trouble spots include Gobind Nagar near Ghumar Mandi, Sarabha Nagar, sectors 32 and 39 on Chandigarh Road, Jalandhar Bypass, and Dugri. The core directive from the police has largely been ineffective in these locations, with chaos reigning supreme during peak hours.
Unauthorized Parking and Absent Enforcement Worsen Crisis
A major aggravating factor is the rampant practice of unauthorized parking by parents and guardians. Vehicles are frequently left parked haphazardly near school gates, often blocking pathways and even the middle of the road. This not only obstructs the flow of general traffic but also creates hazardous conditions for children walking to and from their schools.
Local residents have consistently complained about this issue, noting that enforcement officials are rarely visible during the critical peak hours when the violations are at their worst. The absence of consistent monitoring and penalties has led to illegal parking becoming a normalized occurrence outside school buildings, directly contributing to the gridlock.
Mixed Reactions from Parents and Commuters
The situation has drawn varied responses from those directly affected. A parent outside a private school expressed the practical difficulties faced, stating, "Finding a parking spot near the school is a daily struggle. I have to quickly drop my son and rush back to work, which leaves little room to search for authorized parking." This highlights the lack of adequate parking infrastructure.
In contrast, a frustrated commuter emphasized the need for accountability and stricter measures, arguing, "While parents have their constraints, they must also consider how their parking blocks entire lanes. There needs to be stricter enforcement to deter this behavior for everyone's safety."
Authorities Call for Coordinated Effort
Gurpreet Kaur Purewal, ADCP Traffic, Ludhiana, acknowledged the ongoing challenges. She reiterated that school authorities have been directed multiple times to arrange proper parking spaces and to actively counsel parents to use them instead of stopping vehicles on roads. "Parents should also coordinate with traffic police and school authorities," Purewal urged, "to ensure children's safety and smooth traffic movement."
Despite these clear instructions, the lack of compliance from various stakeholders and insufficient on-ground monitoring continue to fuel the problem. Authorities stress that a sustainable solution hinges on effective cooperation between parents, school management, and traffic personnel. Without the implementation of stricter enforcement protocols and a better-coordinated effort, the traffic chaos outside Ludhiana's schools is likely to remain an unresolved and dangerous daily reality.
