Chandigarh safer on roads, deadlier in minds: NCRB

Chandigarh may boast of being one of India’s safest cities on the road, but a very different crisis is unfolding behind closed doors.

The UT recorded an accidental death rate of just 14.9 per lakh population in 2023, less than half the national average of 31.9, but suicides shot up by 14.5% over the previous year, one of the steepest increases in the country, according to the latest Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) report released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

The city reported 312 accidental deaths in 2023, a fraction compared to Punjab (11,098) and Haryana (16,288). Road crashes, which account for nearly half of all accidental deaths nationally, remain relatively lower in Chandigarh.

Traffic officials credit the city’s grid-pattern design, wide arterial roads and quick emergency response. “Fatalities have come down because enforcement is stricter here. Speed checks, round-the-clock PCR vans and now AI-based challan system act as deterrents,” said Kuldeep Singh, a traffic police official in UT.

For commuters like Roshan Jonny, a cab driver who shuttles between Chandigarh and Mohali, the difference is stark. “You notice the chaos once you enter Zirakpur. Within the city, signals and traffic cops make sure rules are followed,” he said.

While Chandigarh roads appear safer, the city is reeling under a silent epidemic of suicides. The NCRB data shows suicides across India rose marginally by 0.3% to 1,71,418 in 2023, but Chandigarh’s double-digit spike stands out. Psychologists link it to rising stress among students and young professionals.

Earlier this year, a 19-year-old NEET aspirant was found dead in a paying guest accommodation in Sector 32, reportedly over exam pressure. In another case, a 26-year-old IT professional ended his life in his rented flat after months of depression linked to job insecurity. “Urban mental health crises do not spare even a planned city like Chandigarh. Family disputes, academic stress and addiction are pushing more youngsters to the brink,” said Dr Nisha Sharma, a city-based psychiatrist.

The NCRB noted that family problems (31.9%) and illness (19%) were the leading causes of suicides nationally, followed by drug and alcohol addiction (7%). The pattern rings true in Chandigarh, where the proximity to Punjab’s drug belt has kept addiction-linked suicides on the radar of both the police and health authorities. Local rehab centres report more young patients relapsing under academic and social pressure.

What makes the contrast sharper is Chandigarh’s status as one of India’s wealthiest UTs, with high per capita income and quality infrastructure. Yet, experts argue, aspirations and isolation are exacting their toll. “Material comfort doesn’t shield people from stress. In fact, higher expectations often worsen it,” said social worker Jai Bhagwan, who runs an NGO that counsels youth in the city.