FM radio arrived in the Indian city of Ludhiana on Friday with the launch of FM Gold.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Manish Tiwari helped launch the station, which is operated by public broadcaster Prasar Bharati.

Ludhiana, in northwestern Punjab region, is only the fifth city after New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata to get the Gold service.

FM Gold Ludhiani will simulcast programmes from Delhi.

A local version of the station is also planned which will be ready by Diwali, Tiwari told the Times of India.

Despite having a population of 1.6 million, the city missed out on getting private FM stations during Phase II of private radio licencing in the mid 2000s.

It is expected to be included in Phase III which is overdue.