Drivers dodge downed power poles in Ludhiana's Gurdev Nagar after a tree falls.

Ludhiana: Traffic gridlock gripped a major commuter hub in Gurdev Nagar for nearly 18 hours after a massive tree collapsed overnight, snapping power lines and dragging down a network of heavy electricity poles.

The collapse blocked the busy three-way roundabout connecting Pakhowal, Sarabha, and Ferozepur roads. Commuters heading into the morning rush hour were left to navigate a dangerous maze of live infrastructure, with video and eyewitness accounts showing desperate drivers launching their vehicles directly over the downed poles and tangled cables.

Police or Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) had established no safety barriers or traffic diversions until late Tuesday afternoon, sparking fierce condemnation from locals over the risk of electrocution or secondary crashes.

“The poles and wires were left active and completely exposed on the roadway for hours,” said one Gurdev Nagar resident. “With no warning signs, it’s a miracle there wasn’t a fatal accident.”

PSPCL officials blamed “logistical challenges” for the severe delay in clearing the arterial route. Crews managed to bypass the damaged grid to temporarily restore power to the neighborhood, but physical cleanup stalled for most of the day.

Sukaran Singh Grewal, a PSPCL executive engineer, confirmed that “clubbed” structural poles had snapped under the weight of the tree, estimating the infrastructure damage at up to ₹75,000. Senior engineers remained on-site late Tuesday attempting to clear the roadway before the evening commute.