Ludhiana: Members of the Dalit community blocked the Delhi-Amritsar National Highway near Jalandhar Bypass Chowk in Ludhiana on Wednesday, September 9, protesting the alleged desecration of Dr BR Ambedkar’s statue.
The protesters have announced that the highway blockade will continue until 4 pm, causing disruption for commuters travelling between Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Ambala, Karnal and Panipat.
With the blockade coinciding with school dispersal hours, there are concerns that school buses could also get caught in the traffic congestion, potentially causing inconvenience to students.
Traffic movement around Jalandhar Bypass Chowk has been restricted, with police placing barricades on roads leading to and from the area. Some commuters were reportedly turning back after crossing the divider to avoid the traffic jam.
The Dalit community has also called for a Ludhiana bandh. However, markets remained open in the city, following which protesters began visiting shops and urging traders to shut their establishments.
The protest follows Tuesday’s incident in which unidentified miscreants allegedly placed a garland of shoes around Dr Ambedkar’s statue. Police registered an FIR after tensions continued in the area for several hours. Protesters have said the agitation will continue until the accused are arrested.
On Wednesday morning, members of the community performed a milk abhishek of the statue. Police have also installed CCTV cameras around the site to prevent any further incident.
Traffic diversions
Due to the highway blockade, traffic coming from Jalandhar is being diverted towards Ladhowal Bypass and South City. Vehicles are being routed through Verka Chowk on Ferozepur Road and then via the Southern Bypass towards Patiala and Delhi.
Traffic arriving from Delhi is being diverted from Doraha through the Southern Bypass and Ladhowal Bypass before being released towards the toll plaza.
Commuters travelling between Jalandhar and Ludhiana can also use the Jagraon-Nakodar route as an alternative.
