Ludhiana: India’s bicycle manufacturing heartland is set to receive a major infrastructure boost, with a new 12.5-km dedicated bicycle track along the Ladowal Bypass slated for completion by year’s end.The ₹10.45 crore project aims to transform eco-friendly transit in a city that produces more than 90% of the country’s bicycles, yet paradoxically lacks safe spaces for riders. Construction on the track began in Nov 2024 and is focused near the Hambran Road intersection. National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials claim that the project spans a stretch of the highway starting near South City and extending toward Ladowal.The infrastructure includes dual-lane design (a 2.25m-wide track running along both sides of the highway for about 6 km each), besides safety features that include mandatory signage, road markings, studs, and rumble strips. While the official completion date is Dec 31, monitoring officials say they are pushing to finish several months ahead of schedule.Mixed Reactions from Local CyclistsThe development has been met with a combination of excitement and caution from the local pedalling community. Harpreet Singh, 63, a veteran member of the Ludhiana Peddlers group, has noted that while the city has a small track near the municipal office, it covers less than a km. “A track along the bypass is a massive project — perhaps the longest in the state,” he said.However, safety remains a primary concern for some. One female cyclist, speaking on condition of anonymity, pointed out that the highway stretch was relatively secluded. “For this to be truly accessible, especially for women, we need consistent lighting and active police patrolling,” she said.Manufacturing ParadoxDespite its global reputation as a cycling hub, Ludhiana’s internal infrastructure remains hostile to cyclists. Harsimerjit Singh Lucky, president of the United Cycle Parts Manufacturers Association, welcomed the highway project but urged authorities to look closer to home. “We need these tracks inside the city,” he said. “Developing urban lanes would promote cycling as a daily commute in the very city that supplies the rest of India with its bikes.“The Infrastructure GapWhile Ludhiana is a global manufacturing giant, civil administration sources admit that major city roads lack dedicated lanes, forcing cyclists to compete with high-speed traffic. Furthermore, existing infrastructure — such as the track on Malhar Road — is frequently rendered useless by motorists using the lanes as illegal parking lots.Industry PressureThe project follows significant lobbying from the cycle industry and political leaders. In June 2024, Sanjeev Arora, who was then a member of the Rajya Sabha and is now Punjab’s industry minister, had urged the NHAI to integrate bicycle tracks into national highway designs, arguing that the move would simultaneously support public health and the local industrial economy.
