AAP rally in Ludhiana caused severe traffic disruptions

A political rally for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Ludhiana caused major traffic chaos on Tuesday. The event was held to support AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora. Many supporters from across Punjab attended the rally, requiring 324 state-run buses for transport. As AAP leaders Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann arrived at the Pakhowal Road indoor stadium, traffic worsened in various key areas. Roads like Pakhowal, Model Town, and Sarabha Nagar were severely congested, making it hard for commuters to get around. Emergency vehicles were also stuck in the gridlock. To manage the crowd, the administration enforced one-way traffic restrictions starting at 11 AM. This led to more congestion on alternate routes, frustrating office workers, school buses, and residents. Gurpreet Singh, a businessman, expressed his annoyance at the long wait, saying it took him over an hour for a short trip. A teacher, Amanpreet Kaur, pointed out that school children were trapped in buses due to the traffic jam. Despite the heavy police presence, traffic remained chaotic for nearly four hours before it cleared up in the afternoon. Police Commissioner Kuldeep Singh Chahal stated that the situation was eventually under control, but many commuters felt the planning was inadequate. As political rallies become more common ahead of upcoming elections, local residents are calling for improved traffic management in the future.