Ludhiana is the largest city in the state of Punjab that doubles as a city and a municipal corporation. The city was created as a part of the Lodi dynasty and was initially known as Lodi-Ana, which means ‘the Lodi’s place’.
The city was brought under British control via the doctrine of lapse, in 1835. However, the city has moved far past its colonial roots and, today, it is a hub for industrial activity in North India.
With the bolstering of Ludhiana’s infrastructure and many projects set for completion between 2014 and 2016, the city is witnessing steady real estate growth.
Stats And Facts
- As per the provisional data from the census of 2011, Ludhiana has a total population of 16,13,878. It is the most populous city in the state of Punjab, closely followed by Amritsar
- The sex ratio of Ludhiana is 845 females for every 1,000 males in the city. The child sex ratio, on the other hand, is at 871 female children under the age of 6 for every 1,000 male children of the same age
- The average literacy rate in the city is 85.38%, where male literacy rate is 88.35% and female literacy rate is 81.85%
- In the year 2009, the World Bank ranked Ludhiana as the city with the best business environment in India
- Ludhiana is Asia’s largest bicycle manufacturer, with over 50% of the country’s bicycle consumption of 10 million being manufactured here
- 60% of India’s tractor parts are produced in Ludhiana and so is a large portion of auto and two-wheeler parts
- The World Cup finals for the game Kabbadi have taken place in Ludhiana twice. Both these finals were played in the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana
Small-Scale Industries
- The city of Ludhiana is a hub for industrial activity in the north, and small-scale industries are the key economic driver of the city
- Ludhiana has a Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings. The organization is not affiliated with the government and operates without profit. It is industry managed, and has been playing a crucial role in Punjab’s development
- The city has made its mark in the apparel industry as well, for its woolen sweaters and cotton t-shirts. Most top Indian woolen apparel brands are based here, like Octave, Miss Grace and Duke, and Monte Carlo
- Ludhiana is one of the world’s biggest producers of sewing machines. Precision equipment and hand tools are another specialty of this region
Connectivity
- Ludhiana is connected to the national capital, Delhi via air, and there are daily flights between the two cities
- The city is mainly connected within the state and outside it by buses. The inter-city bus services are run by private bus operators as well as the state-owned Punjab Roadways
- National Highway 1 connects Ludhiana to major cities like Delhi, Amritsar and Jalandar. And National Highway 95 connects the city to Chandigarh and Ferozpur
- The Ludhiana City Bus Services Limited operates buses within the city. The buses are mainly the relatively recently-introduced Tata Marcopolo low-floor buses
- There has been a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Ludhiana and Delhi for the construction of a dual-corridor Ludhiana Metro transit system
- Taxis, cycle rickshaws, and auto-rickshaws make up the remaining modes of transport within the city
Ludhiana Civic Administration
- The Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana was formed under the Punjab Municipal Act, in 1976. Presently, it is one of the largest corporations of Northern India, with employee strength of over 7,000
- Ludhiana is the first corporation in the country to provide 100% portable water to everyone residing within the declared areas of the corporation
- The Ludhiana Improvement Trust is the city’s other civic body, which was formed in the year 1958 under the Punjab Town Improvement Act of 1922. The trust has already transferred 23 of the 29 residential/commercial schemes to the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana
Ludhiana Infrastructure
- Infrastructure development in Ludhiana has primarily been targeted at bringing general infrastructure like roads and other amenities up to the expected standards. Other than this, infrastructure development has been focused on providing rehabilitation for slum dwellers and the underprivileged
- In July 2013, the Punjab government sanctioned funding to the tune of 2,500 crore to the city. This was for various aspects of the city’s infrastructure, and the government also stated that international infrastructure companies would be engaged in executing many of the projects. The deputy chief minister also stated at the time that these projects would be completed by 2016
Infrastructure Projects
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Name Of The Project
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Impact Areas
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Expected Completion Date
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Remarks
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Dry Port At Kila Raipur
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Kila Raipur, Aasi Kalan, Saya Kalan
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Unknown - Currently In Planning Stages
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The Punjab State Contained and Warehousing Corporation Limited and Container Corporation of India Limited look to jointly set up a dry port at Kila Raipur to link it with the Eastern and Western Railway Freight corridor.
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Four-Laning Of Ludhiana To Talwandi Section Of National Highway 95
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General (Connectivity Boost)
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910th Day From The Appointed Date
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Four-laning of NH 95 from KM 92 to KM 170 to be executed on Build, Own, Transfer basis under NHDP Phase III
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Ludhiana Metro
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Ayali Chowk, Rajguru Nagar, Aggar Nagar, Gill Village, Janta Nagar Chowk etc.
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2018 (Phase I)
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Initially planned for the year 2014, the Ludhiana Metro rapid transit system is being undertaken by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation under the Public-Private Partnership model.
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Sidhwan Canal Expressway Project
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Ferozepur Road
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Partially Completed
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One side of the Sidhwan Canal bridge was recently completed. The completion of the project is awaiting the removal of barriers by the railways department.
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Ludhiana-Malerkotla-Sangrur Road
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General (Connectivity Boost)
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Completed
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Four-lane widening of the road between Ludhiana and Malerkotla. The same road will be widened to a 2 lane road between Malerkotla and Sangrur.
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Ludhiana Real Estate Market
- The Ludhiana real estate market is set to see growth in the coming years, thanks to the influx of numerous infrastructure projects
- The most important residential projects in Ludhiana are Omaxe on Pakhowal Road, Eldeco on Jalandhar Road, and IREO on Ferozepur Road
Key Localities In Ludhiana
Charges By Government Bodies
Property Registration
Stamp Duty - 6% (and 9% if development charges included)
Property Registration - 1%
Property Tax
Property tax is collected by the Municipal Corporation Ludhiana and there is also an online portal meant for property tax collection.
Punjab Water Supply And Sewerage Board
The Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board manages the water supply in Ludhiana. It operates in Ludhiana through the Ludhiana Circle.
Charges For New Water/Sewerage Connection
Water Charges - INR 500
Sewerage Charges - INR 500
Road Cutting Charges For Water/Sewerage Connection (Per Foot)
Kachha Road - Water Charges: INR 5, Sewerage Charges: INR 10
Brick Road - Water Charges: INR 10, Sewerage Charges: INR 20
Cemented Road - Water Charges: INR 30, Sewerage Charges: INR 60
Pre mix Road - Water Charges: INR 180, Sewerage Charges: INR 160
E-Governance Measures
In 2007, Ludhiana was pin-pointed for the pilot e-governance project in Punjab. The initiative was undertaken through Microsoft and its entire scope included house tax, financial accounting, birth and death certificates, water and sewerage billing as well as redressal of public grievances.
