LUDHIANA: Retired and serving personnel of the Punjab Home Guard on Thursday staged a blockade on NH-44 near Ladhowal, bringing traffic to a near standstill while pressing the state government to accept long-pending demands relating to pay revision and pension benefits.
Road blockade and law-and-order response
Protesters blocked the national highway for nearly four hours, creating long queues of vehicles from both the Jalandhar and Ludhiana sides. Only a narrow lane was kept open to allow limited passage. A heavy contingent of police was deployed on receiving information about the demonstration and officers sought to persuade the protesters to clear the highway.
The protesters — comprising both retired and serving Home Guard jawans — said they had submitted memorandums to senior police officials and leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, but their demands had not been addressed.
Demands and grievances
The group sought implementation of the Pay Commission recommendations for serving Home Guard personnel and pension and post-retirement social security for retired members on par with regular employees. They emphasised that Home Guard personnel routinely serve alongside the Punjab Police in maintaining law and order, yet have been left out of equivalent benefits.
"We have been serving shoulder-to-shoulder with the Punjab Police in maintaining law and order, but have been consistently ignored by the government," the protesters said.
Representatives of the protesters warned that, if the government did not take a clear decision soon, the agitation would be intensified across Punjab in the coming days.
- Primary demands: Pay Commission implementation for serving personnel; pension and post-retirement social security for retirees.
- Action so far: Memorandums submitted to senior police officials and AAP leaders; protesters resorted to blockade to press demands.
- Immediate effect: Traffic on NH-44 was slowed for almost four hours; long vehicle queues reported from both directions.
Local impact and wider implications
The blockade on NH-44, a major arterial route used for inter-city and interstate movement, had immediate consequences for commuters, commercial transport and emergency movement. Long traffic jams affected motorists and goods carriers moving between Ludhiana and northern Punjab districts.
Beyond the immediate disruption, the protest highlights an ongoing fault-line in state policing and auxiliary forces: the Home Guard, often deployed for crowd control, disaster response and supplementing regular police duties, is pressing for parity in financial and post-retirement entitlements. If unresolved, the resentment signalled by the blockade could prompt similar demonstrations in other districts, affecting public order and transport networks across Punjab.
| Demand | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Implementation of Pay Commission | Revision of salaries of serving Home Guard personnel as per Pay Commission recommendations |
| Pension and post-retirement security | Provision of pension benefits and social security for retired Home Guard personnel comparable to regular employees |
Police officials were seen negotiating with the protest leaders to reopen the highway and ease the traffic. There was no immediate report of arrests or major clashes; however, officials maintained a strong presence at the site to prevent escalation.
For Ludhiana residents and commuters, the episode is a reminder of the dependence on NH-44 and the fragility of traffic movement when organised groups resort to road blockades. For policymakers, it underlines the need to address institutional grievances among auxiliary forces whose role is critical in maintaining public safety.
The protesters indicated that the agitation would be intensified across the state unless concrete steps were taken. State authorities have, as yet, not provided a formal response detailing steps to examine or meet the demands.
Reported from Ludhiana.
