Of red lights & slip roads

H. Kishie Singh

Years ago, I wrote in this column that Chandigarh was the place to buy a used car. A car bought here would be in near perfect condition. There were two reasons for this. One, the roads were wide and smooth, hardly any wear and tear on the suspension, tyres and steering. These never wore out! The second reason was the pride of ownership that Chandigarhians have. No matter how old the car, it was neat, clean and in good running condition.

Not any longer. In the last 6,000 km of driving, I have worn out two tyres. The chamber and alignment got bashed out of shape. 

Thanks to the ill-maintained roads and potholes, car maintenance costs have spiralled. It’s the roads that destroy the cars. Today’s advise: don’t buy a car with tricity registration! It will seem that potholes are an infectious disease. A very sad statement that the city has degenerated to this extent!

When the US Ambassador to India was at a chai and pakora party in Chandigarh, he said to me, “Chandigarh roads are like Chanakya Puri. Wide and smooth!” What a delightful compliment! Thanks to the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh’s image has been tarnished.

There is another very serious problem with Chandigarh roads. I don’t know who to compliment on this man-made disaster: the engineering department or the Municipal Corporation. 

Does anyone know what is the purpose of a ‘slip road’?

It has been mentioned in this column, ad nauseam, that we need a traffic management expert. We don’t have one. Proof positive is the positioning of ‘traffic lights’ on ‘slip roads’. Not only is this foolishness restricting the smooth flow of traffic but crores have been wasted on unnecessary traffic lights. The money could have been better utilised to recarpet our potholed roads. Unnecessary idling at red lights accounts for millions of litres of fuel being wasted.

The purpose of a ‘slip road’ is to allow traffic to slip away from the main stream of traffic, thus easing the pressure on the main roads.

First, the entry to the ‘slip road’ should be as far as possible from the main traffic lights with easy access for entry. Both points have been ignored. 

On Chandigarh’s Sarovar Path, heading South, the entry is about 10 metres from the main traffic lights on Madhya Marg, which means that if the main traffic light is red, the entry to the ‘slip road’ is also blocked. The purpose of ‘slip road’ defeated.

If that was not good enough, as you move from the red light on the entry point to the ‘slip road’, there is another red light at the exit on to Madhya Marg. Two red lights at a distance of 10 metres and that too on a ‘slip road’! The purpose of a ‘slip road’ is to facilitate the smooth and swift flow of traffic. This has been blocked. Twice! 

The driver waiting at the red light on Sarovar Path gets a green light and zooms off. He must be a couple of kilometres away! The car on the slip road had barely moved 10 metres. Well done chaps! You have spent an enormous amount of money and achieved exactly the opposite of what was the purpose of this exercise.

Happy Motoring!