Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Rising steel prices have emerged as a major concern for exporters and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) manufacturers, with industry leaders saying sustained increases in raw material costs were squeezing margins and threatening competitiveness.The Federation of Industrial & Commercial Organization (FICO) has stated that abnormal fluctuations were hurting downstream industries, particularly micro, small…

Ludhiana: The ongoing crisis in West Asia has begun to cast a shadow on the bicycle industry of Ludhiana, with the manufacturers announcing a price hike of Rs 250–300 per unit amid rising input costs. The increase, triggered by escalating prices of steel, plastics, rubber, paint and chemicals, is expected to impact both businesses and…

Ludhiana: A newlywed bride dreaming of a new life in Australia and a teenage drummer celebrating his examination results are now among the victims of a boat’s capsizing in the Yamuna river near Vrindavan, as their bodies were recovered three days after the tragedy away from home.The discovery of 26-year-old Monika Chaudhary and 20-year-old Yuvraj…

Ludhiana: City officials have fast-tracked a ₹1.81 crore plan to build a new fire station in Ludhiana’s western constituency, but the project has hit an unusual snag: the tenders have been floated before a site has been finalised.Under pressure from local govt minister, Sanjeev Arora, to deliver the promised facility, municipal corporation (MC) staff are…

Ludhiana: Accusations of a “sink-or-swim” approach to pilgrim safety have prompted calls for the Prime Minister to intervene, as Ludhiana demands justice for a boat tragedy many believe was scripted by bureaucratic indifference in Mathura.Grieving families of 15 pilgrims also call for a high-level high court inquiry as the “sacred journey” to Vrindavan exposes a…

Ludhiana: Despite receiving the lion’s share of state funding, Ludhiana’s prestigious “Schools of Eminence” are struggling to live up to their name as critical staff shortages and stalled infrastructure projects leave the flagship educational programme in limbo.New government data reveals that while the district hosts 16 of the 118 elite schools and has secured the…

Ludhiana: No books, no uniform, and no answers. It is the ultimate back-to-school nightmare as thousands of govt school students across this Punjab district have begun the new academic year without basic essentials.While private school counterparts began the year fully equipped, students in the state system report a familiar cycle of bureaucratic “disruption” that has…

Ludhiana: To celebrate Baisakhi, devotees gathered on the banks of the Buddha Dariya near Bhukhari Khurd village to take a holy dip, celebrating the restoration of clean water after the successful removal of pollutants. As the entry point where the waterway reaches the city, this stretch now receives fresh canal water, allowing the public to…

Ludhiana: In a bid to spread public awareness on fire safety, mayor Inderjit Kaur launched the fire safety week at the fire brigade headquarters near the railway station on Tuesday. The programme was launched in the presence of MC assistant commissioner Neeraj Jain, assistant divisional fire officer (ADFO) Jaswinder Singh, other civic officials and fire-fighters.As…

Ludhiana: Ludhiana: Providence smiled upon Rajinder Kaur Banga, a 54-year-old resident of Dugri, Phase 2, when her Instagram algorithm threw up a reel on surviving in the water. That reel became a lifesaver for her in Vrindavan. As the Yamuna waters rose around her, she recalled the reel’s tips on surviving in water — guidance…