Chandrama Prasad, a migrant labourer in an auto parts manufacturing unit in Ludhiana, has been cycling to work for the past 18 years. Since 2007, his daily commute includes a distance of about a couple of kilometres, which ideally should take no more than 20 minutes.
But Chandrama spends around 40–45 minutes during morning hours and nearly an hour returning home during peak evening hours.
“The traffic is unimaginable. With no dedicated cycling tracks, it takes a lot of time to navigate through big vehicles, two-wheeler traffic, and congestion to ensure a safe journey to work and back. It also becomes more exhausting because of the traffic,” the 41-year-old told Down To Earth.
In Ludhiana, there are about 1.24 lakh medium and small-scale enterprises employing nearly a million lakh workers — mostly migrants — who form the backbone of these industries, says Upkar Singh Ahuja, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI).
As per government estimates, the human population of the city was 1.6 million, which the World Population Review now projects to have increased to over two million.
It is the largest city in Punjab in terms of area — spread across 159.37 sq km — and population.
The city is a hub for industries of all scales, including hosiery, bicycles, sewing machines, textiles, and others, earning it the epithet of ‘Small Scale Industrial Capital of India’.
Akin to Prasad, the majority of labourers use bicycles as their preferred mode of transport. In the absence of a public transport system, these workers, earning around Rs 300 a day, cannot afford to commute by auto or cab.
Rahul Verma, an expert working closely with the traffic police, says that this workforce — nearly 50 per cent of the population — occupies the least road space but suffers the most.
According to the Comprehensive Mobility Plan published by the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, a modal split survey conducted in 2009 showed that 31.5 per cent of trips to work were made by walking, 43.4 per cent by two-wheelers, and bicycles accounted for 21.8 per cent (excluding walking).
Santosh Kumar, another migrant labourer in a tyre manufacturing company, says toxic fumes from vehicles worsen the situation. “We contribute the least to air pollution, but are the most exposed to it,” he shares.
Akash Gupta, coordinator of Clean Air Punjab —a city-based initiative to improve air quality — says his travel time has doubled, and fuel needs have almost tripled due to long traffic jams.
“Vehicle maintenance has also gone up. I have to constantly shift gears, which puts pressure on the clutch and brakes. My servicing costs have increased by almost 20 per cent,” he notes.
The Comprehensive Mobility Plan drawn in 2014 noted that work trips made up 49per cent of total trips, 26 per cent were for education, and the remaining 25 per cent for other purposes.
With no public transport system in place, the main mode of travel for residents remains auto-rickshaws.
Shalini Dhindsa, a 46-year-old homemaker, says locals avoid auto-rickshaws due to safety concerns.
“The drivers are unruly and charge high fares. People prefer private vehicles or cab services like Ola and Uber. Autos are usually used only when someone returns from outstation,” she says.
Residents complain that auto drivers are rash, and the advent of e-rickshaws has worsened the crisis. Drivers often speed, violate traffic rules, and make sudden stops, further disrupting traffic and adding to congestion.
Intermediate Public Transit (IPT) — comprising auto-rickshaws, taxis and cycle rickshaws—remains central to passenger transport. The CMP noted a gradual yearly increase in the number of IPT vehicles.
Verma says diesel auto-rickshaws were banned in 2009 by Supreme Court orders, but many continue to operate illegally. “There also needs to be regulation on the uncontrolled mushrooming of auto-rickshaws,” he says.
Private vehicle ownership in Ludhiana has risen sharply in recent years. Government data shows that vehicle registrations increased from 48,143 in 2021 to 70,486 in 2022 — a rise of over 46 per cent. In 2024, registrations stood at 1,15,122, a jump of more than 45 per cent from 79,144 in 2023.
As per current data, there are nearly 16,63,071 vehicles in Ludhiana.
The 2014 CMP reported that 62 per cent of households had at least one scooter/motorcycle, about 35 per cent had one bicycle, and only around eight per cent owned a car.
Gupta told DTE that the situation has changed significantly in the last decade, with more four-wheelers on the roads.
“Another major issue is that road widths have stayed the same, many still narrow. But vehicles — especially larger SUVs — occupy more space, worsening the traffic,” he added.
A DTE visit found that footpaths are often encroached by parked vehicles, making walking inconvenient. Footpaths exist mostly in commercial and market areas, restricting pedestrian movement and increasing congestion.
The CMP identified major pedestrian movement issues at Bharat Nagar Chowk, Mini Secretariat, Bhaibala Chowk, Aarti Chowk, the Railway Station Area, ISBT, Dugri Chowk and Gill Chowk.
With poor infrastructure and rising vehicle numbers, road accidents remain a major concern. According to Road Crashes and Traffic in Punjab 2023, Ludhiana reported 504 accidents and 402 fatalities in 2023.
Another 152 were seriously injured. Of the victims, 47 per cent were two-wheeler users and 32 per cent pedestrians. Trucks accounted for 34 per cent of accidents, followed by cars, taxis, and LMVs at 33 per cent. Two-wheelers caused 15 per cent. A total of 89 accident black spots were identified in the police commissionerate’s jurisdiction.
One major pedestrian safety issue is the extension of shop and commercial activity onto footpaths and sidewalks. This forces pedestrians onto roads, increasing the risk of accidents, the CMP stated.
Ludhiana’s route patterns and large number of industrial units have also led to rising air pollution, making it one of the ten most polluted cities in India.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), average PM2.5 levels rose from 51 in 2018 to 61.1 in 2024.
Municipal Corporation officials say nearly 49 per cent of the pollution is due to industries, 30 per cent from road dust, and about 11 per cent from vehicles.
“The air quality hasn’t improved. Two monitoring stations — at Punjab Agricultural University and Verka Milk Point — show AQI levels consistently at 300, worsened by ongoing flyover construction over the past three years,” an official told DTE, requesting anonymity.
Another station in the industrial area never reports values below 400, while the old city market area fluctuates between 250–280 AQI.
As per air quality norms, any AQI value above 200 is considered unhealthy, and readings over 300 are hazardous, triggering emergency health warnings.
A 2010 study in the Indian Journal of Public Health found that reduced visibility due to poor air quality was statistically linked to increased daily mortality. For every kilometre drop in midday visibility, mortality from natural causes increased by 2.4 per cent, the study reported.
Meanwhile, the ambitious CMP proposed over a decade ago to solve traffic woes, improve mobility, and establish a public transport system, has largely been ignored.
The CMP aimed to shift 60 per cent of all trips to public transport and cover 90 per cent of the population, with a focus on pedestrian and non-motorised transport. It also recommended freeing footpaths from encroachments and improving parking infrastructure.
But officials from the Punjab administration and traffic department admit the CMP has remained mostly on paper. “Some elevated roads and flyovers have eased traffic. Only one outer ring road to bypass the city is under construction,” says an official from Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA).
Navdeep Asija, traffic advisor to the Punjab government, told DTE that on May 4, the state agreed to assess accident-prone areas and develop plans to address black spots.
He added that agencies were directed to assess existing footpaths and cycle tracks and prepare improvement plans.
“Following recent Supreme Court directives, the government now recognises citizens’ right to walk. There are also efforts to phase out diesel autos and promote cycling through awareness campaigns,” he says.
However, proposed metro, BRT, and city bus services under CMP are yet to be implemented.
A transport department official informed DTE that 100 electric buses have been approved by the central government, but it will take a couple of years before operations begin.
“A team of experts has been engaged to routinely identify black spots with high fatalities and prepare mitigation plans,” he added.
Verma says basic infrastructure like CNG stations is still missing in city limits, discouraging auto drivers from switching to cleaner options.
He adds that changing people’s mindset to move away from private vehicles and adopt public transport will continue to be a major challenge.
This article is part of our series on how India moves, which looks at the relationship between air quality and human mobility in cities and towns.