📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Hbdoctor
Local
Punjab Bandh Halts Traffic: Major Highways Blocked, 800 Buses Stopped, Border Tightened
✍️ News18
🗓 21 Aug 2026, 08:51 PM
👁 6
A statewide bandh in Punjab today resulted in the closure of multiple highways, a tightened security cordon at the Chandigarh‑Mohali border, and the suspension of roughly 800 bus services.
A bandh declared across Punjab today led to a sudden shutdown of road transport in the state. Protestors blocked several national and state highways, causing traffic snarls and halting the movement of goods and passengers.
Key arterial routes, including the NH-44 and NH-5, were reported to be obstructed at multiple points. Police and traffic officials were seen directing vehicles away from the blockage zones and advising commuters to seek alternative paths.
At the Chandigarh‑Mohali border, security forces tightened the cordon, restricting entry and exit between the two cities. The heightened presence was aimed at preventing spill‑over of the protest and maintaining law and order.
Approximately 800 bus services that normally ply between Punjab towns and neighboring regions were taken off the roads. Transport operators announced the suspension, urging passengers to postpone travel until the situation normalises.
Authorities have appealed to the public to avoid non‑essential travel and to cooperate with police directives while the bandh continues.
Key arterial routes, including the NH-44 and NH-5, were reported to be obstructed at multiple points. Police and traffic officials were seen directing vehicles away from the blockage zones and advising commuters to seek alternative paths.
At the Chandigarh‑Mohali border, security forces tightened the cordon, restricting entry and exit between the two cities. The heightened presence was aimed at preventing spill‑over of the protest and maintaining law and order.
Approximately 800 bus services that normally ply between Punjab towns and neighboring regions were taken off the roads. Transport operators announced the suspension, urging passengers to postpone travel until the situation normalises.
Authorities have appealed to the public to avoid non‑essential travel and to cooperate with police directives while the bandh continues.