Explaining the motive behind the drive, Roopinder Singh said: “Our basic idea is to keep hooligans at bay and make markets safe and a place where families can go to for an outing.”

He added: “We are not against those youngsters who want to have fun. But this has to be done in a manner which does not harm anybody. We cannot have boys going around the market in a drunken state, entering into brawls and spoiling other people’s evenings. From now on, we will tour one market everyday.”

This is the first time in the new year that the Ludhiana Police have put up barricades around the Sarabha Nagar market and are stopping vehicles from entering the area. Although this led to the market wearing a deserted look for sometime as it kept vehicles out of bound, families got an opportunity to take a stroll together.

“The whole concept behind the Sarabha Nagar market or for any market is that people are able to look around and relax. However, what happens is that young boys occupy the entire area while moving around in their SUVs and cars. They are usually drunk and enter into mindless brawls and arguments, knowing fully well that a person who has come to this place with his family will not say anything to them,” said Sukhvir Singh, a businessman.