10122025-LT-01.qxd 12/10/2025 12:57 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune DRIVE TO RECTIFY BLACK SPOTS LAUNCHED IN MALERKOTLA SRK AMONG NEW YORK TIMES’ 67 MOST STYLISH PEOPLE TERRY CREWS CONGRATULATES RANVEER ON DHURANDHAR The drive was launched following an increase in number of road mishaps in Malerkotla district. P3 Shah Rukh Khan made it to list of 67 Most Stylish People of 2025 released by New York Times. P4 Terry Crews on Instagram: “Me and great Ranveer Singh at Abu Dhabi GP !!!! Congrats on DHURANDHAR”. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLAR SKY MAX 25°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 9°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.23 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 7:08 AM WEDNESDAY | 10 DECEMBER 2025 | LUDHIANA Rose Garden revamp tender makes no mention of planetarium upgrade Plan also omits construction of library demolished in October this year Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, December 9 The Municipal Corporation has floated a Rs 8.46-crore tender for the facelift of Nehru Rose Garden. However, the tender details make no mention of constructing a library or upgrading the Nehru Planetarium, developments eagerly awaited by both elderly and children. The omission has left many in the community disappointed as the facilities hold special significance for their learning and leisure. Project components listed in the tender include the civil cost, including construction of footpaths, lighting and electrical, horticulture cost, including ornamental plants/rose beds, grass, water tank, irrigation cost, kids playing area, open gym and toilet block. The public library located on the premises of Rose Garden was built in 1985. It was demolished in October this year and has been shifted to Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan since then. The library was in a shambles with broken Set up in 1987 at Rose Garden, Nehru Planetarium was a hit among schoolchildren. ASHWANI DHIMAN chairs and leaking roofs, which led to its demolition and visitors were hopeful that it will be reconstructed during the facelift of the Rose Garden but with no mentioning of the library in the same, it has left its members, mostly senior citizens, in vain. “I stay on the College Road and used to visit the library during daytime while walking. Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan is quite far off and it becomes difficult to go there. I have not visited it since it was shifted. I was hopeful that it will be a part of the uplift project but sadly it has not been included, which has left me and many like me heartbroken,” said Satyam Verma, a senior citizen. Another important aspect that has failed to get any mention in the project is Nehru Planetarium. Set up in 1987, it was a hit among schoolchildren. Schools used to arrange visits to the facility for students. Its last upgrade was done in 2017 and now, the structure needs a proper uphaul as technology has changed a lot since then. It was only during such group visits that the planetarium was made operational, otherwise it was non- functional. Its roof is leaking, the programme educator, who used to explain the cosmic activity, has retired and it has failed to generate enough revenue due to its present condition. Kulwinder Kaur, a retired Physics teacher recalled days when she used to take her students to the planetarium. “It was such a beautiful project. Everything was explained to visitors in such a good manner. Students grasp things easily when they watch the same. It was a practical activity for science students but sadly it is lying in a shambles now. The authorities should upgrade the facility as it’s a good learning source for the children,” she adds. A senior MC official confirmed that both library and planetarium did not find any mention in details of items to be covered under the project. Mayor Inderjit Kaur said she have to check details before commenting as she was not aware whether library and planetarium had been covered in the project or not. Minor argument over parking SUV leads to firing in Kabir Nagar Ludhiana, December 9 A minor argument over parking a vehicle in Kabir Nagar led to firing in the area on Monday night. The sound of the gunfire created panic in the area. The incident was reported to the police by the complainant and a case was registered under Section 125 of the Arms Act following the same. The victim, Sukhwant Singh, said he was returning home from Kohara with his friends, Manjit Singh Mann and Bikkar Singh. As he drove his Mahindra Scorpio into the street, he saw a Maruti Grand Vitara parked in the middle of the road. He asked Sukhwinder Singh to move the vehicle aside but he got angry. “Sukhwinder told me that his SUV would be parked there only and he would not move it anywhere. As the argument escalated, I parked my vehicle in the gym and started to leave on my bike. A few minutes later, the sus- pect came with a .12 bore rifle. In a fit of rage, the suspect opened fire on the road to intimidate me. Residents gathered at the scene after hearing the sound of gunshot,” the complainant said. He said the suspect also threatened to kill him. Later, he filed a complaint after which a case was registered against the suspect. ASI Baljinder Singh said after registering a case, further probe was launched. — TNS Tractor driver dies after being hit by speeding truck Victim fell off bridge after collision, son too injured Ludhiana, December 9 A major road accident occurred on the Samrala Chowk flyover in Ludhiana on Monday night. A tractortrailer going from the Jalandhar Bypass towards the Focal Point was hit from the rear by a speeding truck. In the accident, Malkit Singh, a resident of Neechi Mangali, who was driving the tractor, died on the spot while his son Hardeep Singh was injured. The incident occurred in front of the deceased’s young son Hardeep. In the hospital, the youth recounted that the impact of the collision was so severe that for a few moments he did not understand what had happened. When he regained consciousness, he noticed that his father was missing from the driving seat of the vehicle. When Hardeep searched, he found that he had fallen off the bridge through a gap. After the incident, people present at the spot tried to help the victims. Hardeep, who was bleeding profusely, took his father to the CMCH in an e-rickshaw but doctors declared him dead. Hardeep also suffered minor injuries. Malkit was the sole breadwinner of his family. His son and daughter are still studying. The police reached the scene and registered a case against the truck driver. — TNS Major fire breaks out at paper mill High drama at Chaura Bazaar as shopkeepers, vendors lock horns Ludhiana, December 9 A major fire broke out on Tuesday morning at a paper mill located in the Textile Colony of the Industrial Area, causing firefighters to making efforts for hours before bringing the blaze under control. The fire had spread across the unit and with a large stockpile stored inside, the flames intensified quickly. Thanks to the timely response of the Fire Department, the fire was contained before it could cause greater damage, and prompt response of the fire brigade saved most of the stock. According to a fire official, the first emergency call came Firemen douse the flames at a paper mill in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN around 8:45 am, after which a fire tender from the Focal Point fire station was dispatched. Seeing the intensity of the fire, additional support was requested. Later, more fire tenders from nearby sta- tions were sent to help control the situation. The fire had broken out in the rear section of the unit. Stock materials were also moved outside. Machinery located in the section was also saved. Officials said the stored cardboard inside had soaked up water during firefighting efforts, which would result in losses for the owner. Firefighters revealed that they made around 25 rounds to completely douse the flames. Leading firefighter Vijay Kumar confirmed that there were no injuries and the team managed to extinguish the fire in around three hours. Though the exact cause remains unclear, he suspected a short circuit. Kumar said the mill owner was too distressed to comment on the extent of the losses. — TNS Ludhiana, December 9 High drama was witnessed at Chaura Bazaar on Tuesday after shopkeepers and street vendors had a showdown. A huge board bearing ‘I Love Chaura Bazaar’ was installed on Kotwali Road by the Municipal Corporation and to beautify the place around it, a few flowers pots and flower beds have been placed. Chaura Bazaar shopkeepers alleged that street vendors on Tuesday uprooted the plants, kept flower pots aside and stationed their carts there. “Nobody can damage the Traders protest against vendors at Chaura Bazaar. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN board put up by a government department. Everyone is trying to beautify the place around the bazaar. Street vendors destroyed it all,” said Rubal Dhall, president of the Pink Plaza Market Association. On the other hand, vendors said it was shopkeepers who were troubling them unnecessarily. “We have identity cards issued by the MC and are autho- Hazardous parking of vehicles on highways poses threat to commuters Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, December 9 Hazardous parking and presence of stray cattle on highways have been adding to risk of road accidents. The risk multiply especially during nights hours in the ongoing winter season as it become difficult for drivers to apply emergency brakes on time after spotting stationary vehicles and stray cattle from a short distance. As fog has started appearing on highways, driving has become challenging for commuters. Though fog do not create much difficulty on internal city roads, highways usually witnesses zero visibility in the extreme winter season due to which chances of mishap increases. Meanwhile, to enhance night visibility and reduce chances of mishaps, Ludhiana traffic police teams have been pasting reflector tapes on vehicles at key junctions across the city. Such small safety measures play a big role in preventing collisions, especially in low-light conditions. In 2017, due to the hazardous Cops taking safety measures to prevent collisions, especially in night hours Jalandhar Bypass, GT Road, Kitchlu Nagar and Hambran Road were hit by stray cattle, which could be seen roaming in herds on roads and streets in search of food. The animals were not only causing damage to vehicles and other property but also pose a threat to human lives. Past tragedies caused due to parking on highways Vehicles parked along highways in Ludhiana on Tuesday. PHOTOS: INDERJEET VERMA parking on a highway, a major road tragedy had occurred in Doraha where a woman and her son were killed when their vehicle rammed into a stationary truck. Afterwards, the then Commissioner of Police had directed heads of all 28 police stations of the Ludhiana Commissionerate to register FIRs and impound vehicles, two-wheelers or four-wheelers, in such cases. Following which, several FIRs were also registered and vehicles were also impounded by the Ludhiana police. Traffic police officials and police teams were also told to patrol highways during foggy days. Always be vigilant Experts say as foggy days are ahead, driving in such conditions demand a lot of alertness. One should reduce speed significantly and maintain good distance from vehicles moving in front and any negligence may also lead to pile up of vehicles on highways. It is also wise to turn on low-beam headlight and fog lights. Traffic experts recommend that one should never use high beam lights as the same will hit visibility. Always use right edge of the road or lane markings as a guide and avoid drifting. Do not apply sudden brakes on roads as it may cause fatal accidents. Experts suggest that if you can’t avoid your journey only then c m y b drive in foggy conditions. Despite crores being collected as cow cess, stray cattle roaming on roads Crores of rupees are collected in cow cess but the Municipal Corporation is not willing to take care of stray cattle. Instead, the administration was allegedly misusing and diverting the cow cess for other purposes. Areas such as Haibowal on Jassian Road, Jagat Nagar, Laxmi Nagar, June 3, 2025: Three persons were killed and three others injured when the car they were travelling in from Ludhiana to Malerkotla rammed into a truck. The deceased were identified as Mohammad Shahid, Rohit Verma and Kosar of Malerkotla. Sept 3, 2024: One person was killed and 14 injured when a truck hit a stationary bus on the Ludhiana-Jalandhar main road on the outskirts of the city. The incident occurred when attendants of the tourist bus were changing one off its rear tyres after a puncture. The bus was en route to Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra from Haridwar in Uttarakhand. June 15, 2024: The driver of a a pick-up truck was killed in a freak road mishap after the vehicle crashed into a stationary truck laden with iron rods on a national highway near Doraha. Iron rods hanging from the truck pierced through the driver’s body and he was killed on the spot. His assistant suffered severe injuries. May 5, 2024: The cleaner of a truck was killed after the vehicle hit another stationary truck on the national highway near Libra village in Khanna. February 19, 2023: Two persons, including a woman, were killed and 20 injured when their bus collided with a stationary truck near Khanna on the Ludhiana-Delhi highway, around 35 km from here. February 23, 2023: A couple lost their lives in a road mishap in Khanna after a car hit a stationary truck near Kishangarh village on a national highway near Khanna. March 12, 2020: A newly-married youth and his brother-inlaw were killed while five others sustained injuries when their car rammed into a stationary truck on the GT Road near Salem Tabri. rised to station our carts here and sell our goods but they prevent us from doing so. The board stating ‘I love Chaura Bazaar’ has been put up by Pink Plaza shopkeepers to prevent us from standing there,” said Raghbir Singh, from the Rehri Pheri Association. Another vendor said not the MC but traders have issues when we sell goods from carts. “We too have the right to earn our livelihood and we are following rules. We have been issued identity cards by the MC which permit us to station our carts in the bazaar,” a vendor said. — TNS Man opens fire after tiff with wife, nabbed Ludhiana, December 9 In the Bhamian area here, a person created panic in the locality by firing a shot outside his house after having a tiff with his wife. Inspector Balwinder Kaur of the Jamalpur police station said the police took the suspect into their custody. The suspect was identified as Lavpreet, a resident of Balaji Colony in Bhamian. Sources suggest that the suspect had been addicted to drugs for a long time. His wife, Preeti, was upset due to his drug addiction. On Monday night, he came home intoxicated and his wife threw him out of the house. In the morning, enraged Lavpreet fired a shot in the air outside his house. She said when the police received information, the suspect was nabbed. During the preliminary investigation, he revealed that he had got the pistol from an vacant plot. The police had registered a case against him and started a probe. — TNS