Market Intelligence. – For efficient marketing and proper co-ordination
of supply and demand, authentic information about the volume of marketable
surplus, prices, arrivals, stock and movements of important agricultural
commodities is very essential. The
buyer and the seller, both must be well-acquainted with demand and supply
positions in order to strike a fair bargain.
This will mean from the producer’s side a regulated flow of supplies to
mandis, and from dealer’s point of view adequate arrangements for procuring
adequate number of wagons at the required time.
The
market news is disseminated to the public through handbills, posters,
bullentins, calendars, circular letters, newspapers, magazines, correspondence,
window display, etc. The co-operative
marketing societies receive market information cards from allied
societies. A few good market committees
also send daily information cards to Sarpanches of villages served by
them. There is, however, need for
comparative study of prices, arrivals, stocks and demand position between
different centres of trade (mandis).
Weights and Measures :- Till as
late as the early 20th century different weights and measures were
used in the district. The common scale
of weight was as follows :-
37
paise mansuri = 1 seer kachcha.
40
seers kachcha = 1 maund kachcha.
The mansuri pice was the old copper coinage of the country. The kachcha scale was used everywhere, and the whole of the trade in grain was carried on in it. Even in the shops of the town of Ludhiana, no other measure was used. The kachcha manud at Ludhiana was equal to standard 17 seers. It varied slightly through the district, being a remnant of Misl times, when every local chief adopted his own weight. At jagraon the maund was about 4 seers (kachcha) less than that of Ludhiana ; and one of Pakhowal Something smaller still.
Weighing
was generally done with a ten-seer (kachcha) weight, called deserach, which had
a Government stamp on it. Almost every
agriculturist had a weighing balance(takri) of his own. A mat or earthenware vessel was used in the
field for finding out roughly the amount of grain, but in selling it the weight
and balance were always used. Milk was
bought and sold by the seer, but it was generally measured in a gadwa or brass
vessel of known capacity.
The adoption of the measures of area had been subject of much inquiry and of a good deal of correspondence. Emperor Akbar had fixed one standard bigha for the whole of the empire. It measured a square of land, the length of the side of which was fixed with a specified chain (jarib). The chain was 20 ghattas, each ghatta being 3 ‘ilahi gaz’. The ghatta is, however, not mentioned in the Ain-i-Akbari.
The ancient measures of the country are ghumaon, and kachcha bigha. The latter is the standard of Hindustan or the cis-Sutlej country ; and the former appears to be in use all over the Punjab proper, and it has also partly spread in the Malwa. In the uplands of this district, the ghumaon was used in the greater part of Jagraon and in the Jangal villages, and the bigha in the rest of the country. In the bet, the ghumaon prevails except in a small stretch of country about Mattewara. It was not in the power of the rulers to make the people adopt a new measure ; but they could fix the standard of that measure. The scale of the ghumaon was as follows :-
3 Karams
(double paces each way)
. 1 Marla
8 Marlas . 1
Kanal
8 Kanals . 1 Ghumaon
But generally the ghumaon is said to be four kachcha
bighas. A kachcha bigha is 20 karams
each way. The British finally adopted
for future use a kachcha bighs, 1/3 of the old pukks bigah, measured by a chain
of 20 karams the karam being 57 inches, and the chain 95 feet. This average fitted into the old standard of
the district.
Actually
prior to 1941, there was no uniform standard of weights and measures, but this
handicap was removed with the passage of Punjab Weights and Measures Act,
1941. The metric weights and measures,
under the Punjab Weights and Measures Act, 1958, passed in consequence of the
Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1956 (Government of India), were
introduced in the district with effect form October 1,1958, and enforced from
April 1, 1961, respectively. In the
case of weights, use of old weights was allowed for a period of two years and
from October 1,1960 the use of metric weights was made compulsory. In the case of measures, a period of one
year was allowed for the use of measures previously in vogue and from April 1,
1962, metric measures were made compulsory in the district. The use of metric units became obligatory
from April1, 1962.
The Inspector, Weights and Measures, verifies weights and scales, etc., in the district for trade purpose.
Storage and Warehousing. – The Co-operative Agricultural Service Societies had
391 godowns (124 owned and 267 hired) constructed under Intensive Agricultural
Development Programme (I.A.D.P.) on June 30, 1966. The capacity of owned godowns is 2,000 quintals approximately
each. Ordinarily in all mantis, the
commission agents provide storing facilities for produce brought to them for
sale. There are no stores at the
railway stations throughout the district.
There are two co-operative cold storages, viz. The Ludhiana Do-operative Cold Store Ltd, and Adarsh Co-operative
Cold Store located at Ludhiana. The
Ludhiana Co-operative Cold Store has a storage capacity of 14,000 quintals.
Prior to the formation of State Warehousing Corporation, the agriculturists were not provided any facilities where by scientific storage of their produce could be ensured. Their indigenous stores, kothas (bins) in their houses, huts made of mud and mattings, etc., were exposed to ravages of rain and seepage water and depredations of insect pests and rodents. The Agricultural Produce (Development and Warehousing) Corporation Act, 1956, has pioneered the formation of Central Warehousing Corporation and a net-work of State Warehousing Corporations with the avowed object of providing scientific storage at low charges and arranging for cheap and quick credit facilities against the stored produce. This is intended to encourage standardisation of the produce. The Punjab State Warehousing Corporation was constituted by the Government from January 2, 1958, under the Act. The Corporation is running warehouses in hired accommodation at Jagraon, Doraha, Ludhiana, Sahnewal, Samrala and Khanna in the district. The Corporation is providing scientific storage of agricultural produce in the warehouses and the Scheduled Banks make advances to depositors on the pledge of Warehouse Receipts according to the credit restrictions of the Reserve Bank of India. Besides, the Corporation also undertakes fumigation of stocks under the Technical Advisory Scheme after recovering the fumigation charges. At present, the rate of charges for this work is 15 paise per bag weighing up to 1 quintal and the minimum quantity chargeable for fumigation is 20 metric tonnes.
The
storage charges of the warehouses have been kept as low as possible to cover
the actual expenses incurred, because the scheme is designed to run on “no
profit, no loss basis.” The storage
rates for major commodities are given below :
|
Serial No |
Name of commodity |
Weight of Unit |
Storage charges per month |
Remarks |
|
|
|
|
Paisa
|
|
|
1 |
Bajra,
Wheat, Rice, Gram, Barley, Maize, Millet and other such food grains including
pulses etc. |
Bags
up to 95 kgs. Bags
up to 100 kgs. |
24 |
A
rebate of 100 per cent will be allowed to cooperative Societies on total bill
of shortage rounded of to nearest paisa |
|
2 |
Paddy
in bags |
Up
to 75 kgs. Above
75 kgs to I quintal |
22 |
|
|
3 |
Groundnut
Kernel |
Kernel
up to 100 kgs |
24 |
|
|
4 |
Mustard
and Taramira, etc. |
Up
to 85 kgs Above
85 kgs, to 1 quintal |
20 23 |
|
|
5 |
Sugar
|
Up
to 100 kgs |
24 |
|
|
6 |
Khasdsari |
Up
to 60 kgs Above
60 kgs to 100 kgs |
14 23 |
|
|
7 |
Gur |
Up
to 40 kgs bags |
18 |
|
|
|
(i)
from Ist November to 31st July |
Up
to 40 kgs to 75 kgs |
27 |
|
|
|
(ii)
From Ist June to 31st oct. |
Up
to 40 kgs in bags Above
40 kgs to 75 kgs |
24 36 |
|
|
8 |
Shakkar |
Weighing
up to 100 kgs. |
24 |
|
|
9 |
Cotton
lint (fully pressed) |
Up
to 4 ½ mds. (200 kgs) |
|
|
|
10 |
Cotton
Docras Weighing |
Up
to 130 kgs. For every additional 35 kgs. Or part there of |
45 15 |
|
|
11 |
Cotton
Loose (Bulk) with or without seeds weighing |
Up
to 100 kgs |
37 |
|
Co-operative
Agricultural Credit Societies
|
Period |
|
Number of co-operative
societies at the end of the year |
Membership
Individuals |
Share capital paid up (Rs. In Lakhs) |
Loans advanced during the year (Rs. In Lakhs) |
Deposits (Rs. In Lakhs) |
|
1 |
|
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
1956-57 |
.. |
678 |
49,280 |
22.20 |
43.75 |
26.73 |
|
1957-58 |
.. |
726 |
56,614 |
27.10 |
59.48 |
30.66 |
|
1958-59 |
.. |
783 |
66,366 |
31.93 |
78.82 |
35.20 |
|
1959-60 |
.. |
869 |
85,519 |
37.57 |
109.00 |
41.96 |
|
1960-61 |
.. |
919 |
99,197 |
43.57 |
126.25 |
55.37 |
|
1961-62 |
.. |
933 |
104,563 |
51.13 |
174.37 |
55.37 |
|
1962-63 |
.. |
937 |
110,063 |
59.37 |
181.00 |
76.96 |
|
1963-64 |
.. |
944 |
115,683 |
68.09 |
224.95 |
88.25 |
|
1964-65 |
.. |
1,016 |
135,006 |
84.60 |
279.19 |
92.06 |
|
1965-66 |
.. |
973 |
142,698 |
96.41 |
160.51 |
137.39 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Source: The Assistant Registrar, Co-Operative Societies, package Programme, Ludhiana)
|
Period |
|
Number of co-operative
societies at the end of the year |
Membership
Individuals |
Share capital paid up (Rs. In Lakhs) |
Loans advanced during the year (Rs. In Lakhs) |
Deposits (Rs. In Lakhs) |
|
1 |
|
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
1956-57 |
.. |
678 |
49,280 |
22.20 |
43.75 |
26.73 |
|
1957-58 |
.. |
726 |
56,614 |
27.10 |
59.48 |
30.66 |
|
1958-59 |
.. |
783 |
66,366 |
31.93 |
78.82 |
35.20 |
|
1959-60 |
.. |
869 |
85,519 |
37.57 |
109.00 |
41.96 |
|
1960-61 |
.. |
919 |
99,197 |
43.57 |
126.25 |
55.37 |
|
Period |
|
Number of co-operative
societies at the end of the year |
Membership
Individuals |
Share capital paid up (Rs. In Lakhs) |
Loans advanced during the year (Rs. In Lakhs) |
Deposits (Rs. In Lakhs) |
|
1 |
|
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
1961-62 |
.. |
933 |
104,563 |
51.13 |
174.37 |
55.37 |
|
1962-63 |
.. |
937 |
110,063 |
59.37 |
181.00 |
76.96 |
|
1963-64 |
.. |
944 |
115,683 |
68.09 |
224.95 |
88.25 |
|
1964-65 |
.. |
1,016 |
135,006 |
84.60 |
279.19 |
92.06 |
|
1965-66 |
.. |
973 |
142,698 |
96.41 |
160.51 |
137.39 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Source: The Assistant Registrar, Co-Operative Societies, package Programme, Ludhiana)
APPENDIX III
|
Name of the market
Committee |
|
|
|
|
|
Name of Agricultural |
||
|
Wheat |
Gram |
Barley |
Maize |
Bajra |
Jowar
|
Moong |
Mash |
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
A.
Ludhiana
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963-64 |
201,628 |
43,163 |
849 |
32,419 |
1,907 |
4,372 |
3,455 |
3,837 |
|
1964-65 |
1,580,296 |
32,217 |
846 |
22,038 |
1,384 |
3,591 |
5,160 |
3,733 |
|
1965-66 |
226,484 |
56,368 |
1,782 |
78,879 |
1,979 |
3,982 |
3,979 |
4,050 |
B.
Jagraon
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963-64 |
460,288 |
42,823 |
655 |
101,755 |
1,481 |
3,737 |
1,344 |
1,289 |
|
1964-65 |
349,044 |
29,245 |
751 |
28,346 |
398 |
1,313 |
660 |
941 |
|
1965-66 |
448,253 |
24,937 |
3,725 |
147,764 |
1,201 |
1,808 |
671 |
2,378 |
C.
Samrala
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963-64 |
23,262 |
2,902 |
29 |
5,588 |
- |
- |
- |
529 |
|
1964-65 |
25,603 |
802 |
114 |
6,273 |
- |
- |
- |
498 |
|
1965-66 |
37,272 |
2,968 |
898 |
20,464 |
- |
- |
- |
300 |
D.
Khanna
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963-64 |
323,279 |
7,811 |
268 |
42,763 |
307 |
1,554 |
- |
922 |
|
1964-65 |
286,888 |
6,966 |
1,236 |
41,414 |
- |
1,530 |
- |
488 |
|
1965-66 |
308,926 |
14,223 |
10,195 |
115,057 |
- |
775 |
- |
459 |
E.
Mullanpur
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963-64 |
64,869 |
7,674 |
183 |
23,002 |
603 |
924 |
134 |
223 |
|
1964-65 |
50,629 |
6,982 |
214 |
7,279 |
491 |
253 |
250 |
378 |
|
1965-66 |
66,237 |
6,078 |
792 |
39,215 |
876 |
779 |
408 |
790 |
F.
Railkot
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963-64 |
41,346 |
3,098 |
100 |
5,724 |
92 |
690 |
307 |
138 |
|
1964-65 |
37,702 |
2,339 |
86 |
3,117 |
50 |
685 |
386 |
177 |
|
1965-66 |
73,699 |
2,983 |
568 |
29,813 |
72 |
887 |
352 |
322 |
G.
Doraha
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963-64 |
47,487 |
2,069 |
94 |
18,463 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1964-65 |
40,584 |
2,184 |
138 |
8,245 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
1965-66 |
68,042 |
3,748 |
821 |
45,645 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
H.
Machhiwarn
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1964-65 |
3,016 |
342 |
42 |
4,796 |
127 |
25 |
8 |
124 |
|
1965-66 |
23,800 |
2,045 |
514 |
13,154 |
289 |
462 |
27 |
125 |
|
Commodities |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Moth |
Gur |
Shakkar |
Khandsari |
CottonAmeican
|
CottonDesi
|
Onion |
Potato |
Groundnut
|
|
10 |
11 |
12 |
13 |
14 |
15 |
16 |
17 |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,703 |
16,348 |
973 |
8,998 |
- |
2047 |
27,166 |
62,159 |
77,148 |
|
6,132 |
19,656 |
757 |
11,544 |
- |
- |
33,291 |
59,574 |
101,306 |
|
4,052 |
26,739 |
530 |
11,109 |
- |
- |
27,608 |
69,924 |
132,454 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2,645 |
36,917 |
- |
- |
36,454 |
131,701 |
- |
- |
21,647 |
|
2,009 |
30,859 |
- |
- |
19,655 |
63,169 |
- |
- |
29,938 |
|
522 |
29,999 |
- |
- |
31982 |
103,079 |
- |
- |
53,831 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
7,866 |
- |
2,638 |
- |
3,283 |
- |
- |
55,566 |
|
- |
11,720 |
- |
4,030 |
- |
3,260 |
- |
- |
51,686 |
|
- |
19,823 |
- |
8,728 |
- |
1,702 |
- |
- |
60,143 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
43,454 |
3,559 |
26,231 |
- |
8,633 |
1,570 |
6,123 |
258,527 |
|
- |
65,870 |
2,825 |
32,334 |
- |
5,320 |
2,331 |
4,932 |
224,153 |
|
- |
87,586 |
3,190 |
62,270 |
- |
3,878 |
2,565 |
7,684 |
364,124 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
84 |
1,853 |
38 |
- |
2,810 |
23,392 |
61 |
74 |
23,034 |
|
404 |
3,862 |
235 |
- |
1,245 |
9,217 |
36 |
53 |
42,800 |
|
475 |
3,560 |
135 |
- |
1,581 |
17,324 |
54 |
67 |
81,367 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
892 |
5,819 |
- |
- |
1,307 |
11,486 |
218 |
2,535 |
- |
|
977 |
8,958 |
- |
- |
1,730 |
4,160 |
1,017 |
2,485 |
103 |
|
856 |
10,375 |
- |
- |
2,206 |
10,695 |
1,545 |
3,383 |
324 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
1,185 |
205 |
- |
5,883 |
4,475 |
- |
- |
70,518 |
|
- |
1,333 |
160 |
- |
2,830 |
2,557 |
- |
- |
74,033 |
|
- |
1,922 |
211 |
- |
3,791 |
3,768 |
- |
- |
101,150 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- |
1,204 |
208 |
226 |
682 |
703 |
- |
- |
64,787 |
|
- |
1,911 |
324 |
697 |
1,716 |
652 |
- |
1,634 |
88,301 |
|
Co-operative year ending
June |
|
No. of societies |
Membership |
Paid up share capital (Rs. In lakhs) |
Working capital (Rs. In lakhs) |
Value of goods marketed (Rs. In lakhs) |
||
|
Individuals |
Societies |
Total |
||||||
|
1 |
.. |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
1962 |
.. |
7 |
1,907 |
391 |
2,298 |
6.27 |
12.98 |
21.99 |
|
1963 |
.. |
7 |
2,276 |
621 |
2,897 |
6.34 |
16.49 |
23.66 |
|
1964 |
.. |
7 |
2,764 |
811 |
3,575 |
6.42 |
18.22 |
34.35 |
|
1965 |
.. |
8 |
3,311 |
903 |
4,214 |
7.94 |
32.43 |
208.23 |
|
1966 |
.. |
8 |
4,130 |
948 |
5,078 |
10.46 |
44.10 |
166.11 |
(Source : Assistant Registrar, Co-operative Societies, Package Programme, Ludhiana.)
COMMUNICATIONS
|
v Railways |
(a) Old Time Trade Routes and Highways and Modes of Conveyance. Roads are the veins are and arteries of a country through which every important movement circulates. Indian history abounds references to road construction activity undertaken in the past and the road policy adopted by different rulers from time to time. The pace of road construction was accelerated with the advent of the British in the Cis-Satluj region early in the 19th century. Though roads were built principally form the administrative and strategic standpoint, yet these promoted inter-communication among the different areas and helped to reduce the isolation between towns and villages.
(b) Road Transport - The total metalled road length in the district,
maintined by the Pubic works Department , was 469.10 kms. on mach 31, 1966 as
against 268 kms. in 1947 at the time of the partition of the Punjab. To cope
with the uncreasing volume of traffic, the Grand Truck Road,
Ludhiana-Chandigarh Road and Ludhiana-Ferozepore Road are being widened.
(i) Classification of Roads- The
following table shows the category wise classification of roads in the
District;-
Road Length in Ludhiana District as on March 31, 1966
|
|
Metalled Roads (kms) |
Unmetalled Roads (kms) |
Total Roads (kms) |
|
A.
Roads maintained by Public Works Department - |
|
|
|
|
1. National Highway |
68.21 |
|
68.21 |
|
2. State Highways |
124.97 |
|
124.97 |
|
3. District Major Roads |
14.08 |
|
14.08 |
|
4. District Minor Roads |
261.84 |
|
289.91 |
|
Total |
469.10 |
28.07 |
497.17 |
|
B.
Roads maintained by the Zila Parishad, Ludhiana- |
|
|
|
|
1. Other District Roads |
49.44 |
36.80 |
86.24 |
|
2. Village Roads |
55.86 |
188.79 |
244.65 |
|
Total |
105.30 |
225.59 |
330.89 |
Out of the total road of 497.17 kms,
maintained by the Public Works Department in the district as on March 31, 1966,
the metalled measured 469.10 kms, and the unmetalled 28.07 kms. The National
Highways, State Highways, District Major Roads are maintained by the State
Public works department. The National Highway is maintained out of the Central
Government funds while the rest are maintained out of the state funds. Other
District Roads (Second Class Roads) and Village Roads its own funds. Besides
there are some roads within the limited of different municipalities which are
maintained by the Municipal Committees concerned. (See Appendix at pages
340-43).
A
detailed description of each category is given below:
National Highways.- National Highways are defined as main highways
running through the length and breadth of the country, connected with other
highways of various States. They also include the highways required for
highways for strategic movement by the
State Public Works Department out of central Government funds.1
These roads are generally fully bridged and matelled, and in recent years mist
of them have been block-topped.
1. The Government of India assumed financial responsibility for the
construction and maintenance of a system of national highways with effect from
Aprial1, 1947
67. 77 kms. of Grand Trunk Road, National Highways No.
1. lie in the district. This length includes a bye-pass, 8.60 kms. long which
was constructed near Ludhiana town in 1962 so as to avoid the congested area of
the town through which the G.T. Road otherwise passes. Form Delhi side the G.T.
Road enters the district at km. 257.70 and leaves it at km. 316.80.
The Grand Trunk Road in the Punjab is a continuation of the Grand Trunk Road, which, starting from Calcutta, runs through Northern India to Delhi. Thence, passing through Karnal and Ambala, it reaches Ludhiana and thereafter extends to Amritsar and the border with West Pakistan. The section from Karnal to Ludhiana as opened in 1852, and that from Phillaur to the Beas was opened in 1860-61. It runs alongside the Northern Railway.
State Highways.-These are defined as all other main trunk of
arterial roads of the state connected with the National Highways, district
headquarters and important towns within the state and serving as the main
arteries of traffic to and from the district roads. These roads are maintained
by the State Government and are generally bridged and metalled. They are
motorable throughout the year, expect
that whenever they come across causeways of submersible bridges they are subject
to interruptions in traffic for short periods, especially during the rainy
season. State Highways are invariably
connected with the National Highways.
The State Highways passing through the district
measure 124.24 kms. in all : Ludhiana- Samrala section (32.16 kms) and Samrala
– Morinda section (21.84 kms.) of the Chandigarh Ludhiana Road ;
Ludhiana-Ferozepore Road (44.80 kms, ; and Ludhiana- Malerkotla Road (25.44
kms. besides its portion of 2.40 kms. maintained by the Municipal committee,
Ludhiana).
Major District Roads. – These are roughly of the same specifications as
the State Highways connecting important marketing centres with the railways,
the State Highways and the National Highways.
Under
this head comes the Ludhiana-Machhiwara section (14 kms.) of the Ludhiana-Rahon
Road.
Minor District Roads. – These serve as important arteries of
communication between different parts of the district. The more important among them are Samrala-
Bahlolpur Road, Khanna–Samrala–Machhiwara Road, Sahhewal- Kohara Road,
Jagroan-Raikot Road, Dakha-Halwara–Raikot Road, Khanna-Bhari-kheri Road,
Sidhwan-Mehatpur Road and Sahhnewal–Dehlon- Raipur Road.
The State Highways and the Major and Minor District Roads are constructed and maintained by the State Public Works Departments.
Village Roads. – These are generally approach or link roads from the main roads to
the villages and have generally an unmetalled surface. Construction of link roads has been going on
in rural areas quite vigorously since this project was launched in the State on
January 21, 1968. The villagers, with
whose free labour this project is being executed, are generally giving due
priority to this voluntary work. In
some cases, the villagers raise money to engage labourers for expediting the earth-work
in their respective areas. the P.W.D.
simultaneously carries out its job of metalling the roads.
The break through in agriculture has made the villagers acutely conscious of the significance of link roads. The green revolution has also brought about a radical change in their stoic conception of life and has created new and varied urges in them.
The village roads are maintained by the Zila Parishad.
The district made good progress in construction of roads during the different plan periods as is borne out by the total road length in the district at the end of the different plan periods, shown below :
|
Plan |
Year |
Road Length
|
||
|
Metalled
(kms) |
Unmetalled
(kms) |
Total |
||
|
.. |
1950-55 |
293 |
331 |
624 |
|
First
Five Year Plan |
1955-56 |
314 |
330 |
644 |
|
Second Five Year Plan |
1960-61 |
422 |
320 |
742 |
|
Third Five Year Plan |
1965-66
(as
on March 31, 1966) |
569 |
218 |
787 |
(Source
: Chief Engineer, Punjab, P. W. D., Buildings and Roads Branch)
(ii) Vehicles and Conveyances. – The
old time means of conveyance comprised shigrams, ekkas and majholis, used by
trvellers, and bullock carts used for carrying agricultural produce. Camels were used for carrying grain from
Jangal villages, where the roads were particularly sandy, and only a small load
could be brought on a cart. Donkeys
were used for bringing grain and bricks, etc., from short distances into
Ludhiana.
Besides
the ordinary farm carts used for agriculture, there were other carts working
for hire, i.e., those going to Ludhiana and beyond it with loads of grain, etc.
(Dasawarwala). The carts used in
carrying trade were a variation of the ordinary cart.
Though
motor vehicles are becoming increasingly popular, yet the bullock carts still
hold the sway in the countryside, both for conveyance and carriage of
goods. They are eminently suited to the
rugged countryside where the sophisticated modern vehicles dare not tread. An improvement tyres in place of the
traditional wooden wheels.
With
the improvement and extension of roads and the indigenous cycle industry,
push-cycles are being used as extensively in villages as in towns.
A
remarkable feature of the post-Independence period has been a rapid decline in
the use of tongas and ekkas drawn by horses.
This is primarily due to the emergence of the cycle-rickshaws, which are
cheaper and easier to maintain. The
horse-carts, however, still continue to be used on the roads in the
countryside, though as conveyance in towns very few of them are to be
seen.
The
increase in the use of motor vehicles is also a market feature of the
post-Independence period as shown by the number of different types of motor
vehicles on road in the district the period 1961-66, as given in Appendix II at
pages 344.
Automobiles. – Motor cycles and scooters are becoming quite popular with the
well-to-do section of the people.
auto-rickshaws provide another means of quick transport in cities. These are easily available and more
convenient than the buses, and are also cheaper than the taxies which are hired
by richer class of people.
Cycles.
– Introduced in the world in 1867, the cycles appeared in the Indian cities in
the beginning of the 20th century.
The bicycle a cheaper means of individual transport. For short distance within a city, it is very
handy conveyance. Besides carrying a
rider, it has given opportunity to Indian dairymen and cultivators to bring
milk and other minor products to the cities and adjoining towns. A large number
of students, teachers and workers have found in bicycles a good and handy
transport. It has made Indian workers
more reliable. It is cheap, flexible
and convenient. Sometimes hawkers sell their wares on their bicycles.
Cycle Rickshaws.-
Men-driven two wheeled rickshaw were formerly used for carrying
passengers at hill stations. In the
Punjab, the cycle rickshaw is an innovation introduced after 1947. its popularity was largely due to the fact
that most of the indigent displaced persons were eager to find quick means of
employment and the cycle rickshaw required small capital investment or could be
produced on hire-purchase basis or on payment of a specified daily rent for
plying it. The three-wheeled rickshaw
has now become very common in towns and cities. These have practically ousted tongas and ekkas from the
field. The well-to-do rickshaw-pullers
purchase their rickshaw while others obtain tem to hire.
The
Punjab Government have formed bye-laws for the well being of the
rickshaw-pullers. Only the physically
fit persons between the ages of 18 and 45 area allowed the ply the
vehicles. Only two persons are allowed
to carried in a rickshaw.
Horse
carriages.-
As a means of conveyance, horse carriages, i.e., tongas and ekkas, are
found useful in carrying passengers from one part of the city to another. Now-a-days, there is a keen competition
between the horse-drawn carriages on the one hand and the cycle rickshaw, motor
rickshaws and motor buses on the other.
But the horse carriages cannot be ousted completely.
(iii) Public Transport.- The
introduction of passenger road transport is an important landmark in the
history of transport service in the State.
Its extension in the post-Independence period has been particularly
remarkable. Although major important
routes have been nationalized, yet a good many routes are operated by private
transport companies. Road transport has
interconnected rural and urban areas.
With the development of industries and agriculture, the passenger
traffic has so much increased that it would have been impossible for the
railways to cope with it singly.
Moreover, each and every important and unimportant urban and rural
locality cannot be possibly linked through railways. Therefore, the development and extension of road transport was
both natural and essential.
State-owned
Services. – Ludhiana lies on the routes of
most of the State-owned transport services.
The Punjab Roadways, Jullundur (Depot), has a Sub-Depot at Ludhiana
which operates its service on 23 routes as detailed in Appendix III on pages
344-45.
Private Bus Services. – These render great service in linking together
different parts of the district. The
private bus services operating in the district are :-
|
1. |
The Akal Transport Co., Pvt. Ltd., Ludhiana |
|
2. |
The Ludhiana Transport Co., Pvt. Ltd. Ludhiana |
|
3. |
The Nankana Sahib Transport Co., Pvt. Ltd.,
Ludhiana |
|
4. |
The National Transport and General Co., Pvt. Ltd.,
Ludhiana |
|
5. |
The
Dasmesh Transport Co., Pvt. Ltd. Ludhiana |
|
6. |
The
Nirbhai Roadways, Pvt. Ltd., Ludhiana |
|
7. |
The
Sheikhupura Transport Co., Pvt. Ltd., Ludhiana |
|
8. |
The
satluj Transport Co., Pvt. Ltd., Jullundur |
The detailed particulars regarding the routes operated by the above mentioned transport companies are given in Appendix IV at pages 346-48.
The Railways are a significant and potential means of transport for men
and material over long distances. They
have greatly contributed to the industrial and commercial development of the
country. Their introduction has
converted barren and unpopulated land into flourishing fields and densely
populated areas. they have also helped
also helped in the social development of the country. They carry raw materials and finished products to the port towns
to be exported to other countries, and transport imported articles to the
numerous distributing centres inside the country. The railways promote international trade.
Ludhiana
is an important railway junction on the Northern Railway, being connected with
Jullundur and Amritsar on the north and north-west, Ferozepore on the west,
Dhuri, Jakhal and Hissar on the south, and Sirhind and Ambala cantt. And thence
with Delhi on the south-east.
The
Amritsar-Ambala line is a broad-gauge double line. It enters the district at Phillaur by an iron bridge across the
Satluj and runs through if for about 58 kms., in a south-easternly direction,
serving Ludhiana and Samrala tahsils.
Loudhowal, Ludhiana, Dhandari Kalan, Sahnewal, doraha, Jaspalon,
Chawapail and Khanna railway stations lie on this route. This is the oldest line, having been
constructed in 1870. The
Ludhiana-Ferozepore line is also broad-gauge and runs westward from Ludhiana,
passing through the western half of Ludhiana tahsil and the middle of Jagraon
tahsil. Model Cram2,
Baddowal, Bhanohad Punjab, Mullanpur, chauki Man, Jagraon and Nanaksar are the railway stations located on it.
The Ludhiana-Dhuri-Jakhal-Hissar line is broad-gauge and runs through
Ludhiana tahsil in the southernly direction connecting Gil, Jassowal, Qila
Raipur, Gungrana and Ahmadgarh.
2. Situated
at a distance of 4 kms. from Ludhiana, the Model Gram Railway Station was
formally opened on November 14, 1962.
It serves new colonies on the south-western periphery of the Ludhiana
city.
The
tahsil-wise list of railway stations in Ludhiana district is an under :
|
Tahsil |
|
Railway
Station |
|
Tahsil
Ludhiana |
.. |
Ludhiana |
|
|
|
Model
Gram |
|
|
|
Baddowal |
|
|
|
Bhanohad
Punjab |
|
|
|
Mullanpur |
|
|
|
Gil |
|
|
|
Jassowal |
|
|
|
Qila
Raipur |
|
|
|
Gungrana |
|
|
|
Ahmadgarh |
|
|
|
Dhandari
Kalan |
|
|
|
Sahnewal |
|
Tahsil |
|
Railway
Station |
|
|
|
Doraha |
|
|
|
Loudhowal |
|
Tahsil
Samrala |
.. |
Jaspalon |
|
|
|
Chawapail |
|
|
|
Khanna |
|
Tahsil
Jagraon |
.. |
Chauki
Man |
|
|
|
Jagraon |
|
|
|
Nanaksar |
Appendices V and VI (pages 348-49)show the monthly average railway passenger and goods traffic and earning during 1965-66.
Rail Road Competition. - With the
growth of railways, a mistaken view was formed that roads were unnecessary and
unprofitable. So the road development was seriously retarded during the latter
half of the 19th century .
But the advent of motor transport in the beginning of the 20th century led to a better appreciation of the
value of through highways.
The
Mitchell-Krikness Committee, appointed by Government of India, recorded in 1933
huge annual loss of railway revenue owing to competition from roads. During the
World II(1939-45) there was practically no rail-road competition as
considerable number of motor vehicles were requisitioned by the Government for
military purposes and the railways catered for traffic far in excess of their
capacity . After the cessation of war, the fear of rail-road competition was
aroused again, as was witnessed by the promulgation of rigid code of principles
and practices for regulating playing of motor vehicles. The measures aimed at
protecting for regulating playing of motor vehicles. The measures aimed at
protecting railway interests as a result of the financial stake of the
Government.
After the Independence ,Government thought of nationalizing road transport. Later. It reached fifty fifty agreement with private transporters. Efforts are also afoot to achieve best possible co-ordination between rail and road traffic.
A sample study3 of the flow of traffic
has revealed that there is a good deal
of traffic moving by road traffic is not known, preference is clearly for road.
This is more pronounced in the case of shorter haulages. The reasons for
diversion to road traffic seem to be the lower freight rates. Proper
supervision, absence of irksome formalities and door-to door service. Moreover
the last decade and a half have seen a
lot of road expansion , whereas there has been little extension of railways.
3. Techno- Economic Survey of Punjab (National
Council of Applied Economic Research, New Delhi), 1962, P. 71.
For transport of heavy machinery, bulk articles and also for long distance haulages(beyond 300 miles) there is a pronounced preference for railways