Tribune Chowk chock-a-block

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 10

Massive traffic jams have become the norm at the Tribune Chowk. Traffic snarls were witnessed on all four sides of the junction today with vehicles lined up on either side of the road for several kilometres inconveniencing commuters, who had to wait for almost an hour to cross the clogged roundabout.

It seems the UT Administration and the police have no immediate solution in sight to fix the problem which has been plaguing the common man.

“I agree that there is a frequent problem of traffic jams at the Tribune Chowk. But today’s rush was due to fog and the VVIP movement, including the movement of 34 Supreme Court judges. The wedding season and weekend have also added to the rush. But we will have to find an alternate solution to the problem. We have sent proposals recommending a few changes like installing timers or synchronisation of traffic lights to the Engineering Department, but nothing has been done so far. Managing traffic manually is also not possible due to fog,” said Dr Eish Singhal, SSP (Traffic), UT.

The SSP also expressed helplessness in view of the rising number of vehicle registration here. As per a comprehensive mobility plan submitted to the UT Administration earlier, it was stated that the daily traffic volume at the Tribune Chowk was 1,43,170 vehicles, including 1,35,805 passenger car units.

Mukesh Anand, Chief Engineer, UT Engineering Department, was not available for comments.

Meanwhile, commuters had a harrowing time. “I was coming from Zirakpur to Chandigarh and remained stuck in the jam for over an hour as the traffic was blocked at the Tribune Chowk,” said Meenal, a resident of Sector 32.

“I had to go to the Hallo Majra Chowk from Sector 34 but was caught in a traffic jam at the Tribune Chowk. All roads, including the inner roads leading to the roundabout, were blocked. After an endless wait, I could cross the roundabout. Surprisingly, no traffic policeman was seen manning the roundabout to ease the traffic,” said Shikha Anand, a resident of Sector 34.

Why are there frequent jams here?

No timer on the Tribune roundabout unlike other junctions

No synchronisation with other connecting junctions

No cops to ease the traffic manually

Roundabout is mostly clogged during morning and evening peak hours and at weekends

Work on flyover to begin soon: Transport Minister

In October, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, had said the problem of traffic congestion at the Tribune Chowk would end as soon the work on the flyover would start in around 10 months. The detailed project report was ready and once it was approved, the process of floating the tenders would start, he said.