Open House: What steps are needed to make Chandigarh roads safe?

Chandigarh’s roads will become truly safe only when enforcement, engineering and education work together. Strict implementation of traffic rules is the first step. There should be zero tolerance for overspeeding, drunken driving, red-light jumping or use of mobile phones while driving. Heavy and immediate penalties can act as real deterrents. Second, road engineering must improve. Accident black spots should be identified and redesigned, pedestrian crossings made safer, proper lighting ensured and dedicated cycle tracks encouraged to reduce vehicular pressure. Third, public awareness is crucial. Road safety education must begin in schools and colleges. Regular campaigns should remind citizens that road discipline is a shared responsibility. Finally, public transport must be strengthened to reduce the growing number of private vehicles. Saving lives requires collective accountability. Road safety is not just a government duty, it is a civic responsibility.

Vineet Gandhi, Chandigarh

Digitisation key to easing congestion

Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, houses premier institutions such as the Punjab and Haryana High Court and both state secretariats. Thousands commute daily, adding pressure to already busy roads. Yet an avoidable strain comes from the outdated practice of physically moving files between offices, wasting time, fuel and manpower. In a digital era where banks clear transactions within minutes, government departments must adopt secure e-office systems for seamless file transfers. This single reform could significantly reduce unnecessary movement and speed up decision-making. Dedicated shuttle buses for government staff can further cut the number of private vehicles. Together, digitalisation and shared transport would ease congestion, lower pollution and ensure safer, smoother travel, helping Chandigarh truly live up to its name as the City Beautiful.

Anil Anand, Kharar

Fix vehicle ownership per house to two

Chandigarh has more registered vehicles than residents, apart from those entering daily from neighbouring states. Weak traffic management adds to the chaos. Cycles, rickshaws, rehris and altered vehicles often avoid designated tracks and violate rules with impunity. Unauthorised roadside parking by autorickshaws across the city, including near Burail village, to pick up passengers reduce road space. Taxis too occupy roadsides illegally. The administration and the municipal corporation must act against unauthorised vendors occupying roads, such as in Sector 49-A, where customers frequently park on the carriageway. Vehicle ownership per housing unit should be restricted to two, including two-wheelers. Residential roads are choked with parked vehicles, leaving little space for pedestrians. Long-term solutions such as a metro system are essential to reduce congestion and pollution.

Jagbir Singh Sarpal

Must choose patience over speed

It is alarming that Chandigarh has more vehicles than people and that a life is lost every four days on its roads. Each statistic represents a shattered family. This is not merely a traffic issue; it is a moral wake-up call. Ruthless enforcement against rash driving, smart surveillance cameras, safer crossings, strict licence checks and sustained road-safety awareness must begin immediately. Citizens too must choose patience over speed. Roads should carry journeys, not funerals.

Ravinder Nath

Need to PRIORITISE PEDESTRIAN SPACE

Losing a life every four days on Chandigarh's roads is deeply worrying. Road planning appears to have left little dedicated space for pedestrians. Often, after the main carriageway and a green belt, cycle tracks leave no safe walking zone. In the evenings, many motorcyclists and even cars use cycle tracks, endangering pedestrians. Several red-light violators are vehicles registered outside the city; such traffic needs stricter monitoring. Firm action against offenders and proper pedestrian infrastructure can save lives.

Rajeev Singh, Chandigarh

Deploy police at accident-prone areas

Despite CCTV- based fines, accidents continue to regularly occur. Enforcement must shift from mere penalties to visible presence. Traffic personnel should be deployed at accident-prone areas, schools and colleges during peak hours, especially at entry and dispersal times. The sense of being watched can deter violations. 'Traffic festivals', on the lines of the Rose Festival, could engage youth, promote road safety and encourage disciplined driving. Awareness and enforcement must go hand in hand.

Capt Amar Jeet (Retd), Kharar

FOLLOW THE ROAD USER HIERARCHY

Road safety depends on respecting the hierarchy of users - pedestrians first, followed by cyclists, public transport and emergency vehicles and finally private motor vehicles. This principle protects the most vulnerable while ensuring smooth traffic flow. Driving tests traditionally emphasise vehicle control and signal compliance but rarely stress this hierarchy. Educating commuters to yield appropriately and respect vulnerable users can significantly reduce fatalities. Responsible, courteous driving, not mere mechanical compliance, builds safer roads for all.

Narinder Banwait, Chandigarh

Impound vehicles of habitual offenders

With more vehicles than people, traffic must be strictly regulated. Many app-based taxi and auto drivers speed, stop abruptly and cause accidents. Heavy fines and impounding of habitual offenders are necessary. Delivery riders, rushing to meet targets, frequently violate rules and take dangerous shortcuts. Strict monitoring through cameras and prompt penalties can save precious lives.

Dr Harminder Singh, Chandigarh

Get more buses, launch metro trains

The near-monopoly of CTU buses in the Tricity has failed to curb rising car numbers. The only lasting solution is large-scale public transport. The city needs thousands of additional buses and a metro network. Without this, other measures will be cosmetic. The administration must take responsibility and involve the public in planning. Substantial expansion of buses alongside metro trains is essential to meaningfully reduce traffic and road deaths.

Ashok Kumar Goyal, Panchkula

Ensure TECH-based surveillance

Making Chandigarh's roads safe requires technology, strict enforcement and awareness. AI-based monitoring and smart speed detectors should be installed at major intersections to detect violations in real time, with automatic e-challans ensuring transparency. Seat belts and helmets must be enforced rigorously. Vehicles should carry valid insurance and documentation. Table-top speed breakers near schools and in residential sectors can curb speed. Frequent checks and zero tolerance for drunken driving are essential. Road safety education in schools and sustained public campaigns can instil responsible habits early and protect precious lives.

Harinder Singh Bhalla, Chandigarh

Metro service is the need of the hour

A weak public transport system compels people to own private vehicles. Overcrowded buses, limited services and the absence of a metro in the Tricity worsen congestion. Immediate upgrading is essential. Longer buses on major routes, smaller buses on feeder routes and fixed peak-hour schedules are needed. A metro is urgently required for commuters from Ambala, Rajpura, Ropar, Baddi, Pinjore, Kalka and Dera Bassi.

Deepak Taak, Panchkula

Make serious offences non-bailable

It is sad that despite good roads, lighting, CCTV cameras and police control, one life is lost every four days in vehicle accidents. Strong and decisive steps are needed. The administration must curb rash driving and repair potholes promptly. Serious offences should be made non-bailable. Traffic police must be deployed at vulnerable points to check reckless driving and challan offenders. The adjoining cities of Mohali and Panchkula, along with surrounding villages, add to traffic volume, which continues to rise. While a Metro is often advocated, until then adequate police deployment is essential. Residents must also be educated through newspapers, lectures in colleges, universities and government offices about safe driving practices such as avoiding overtaking from the wrong side, slowing while entering main roads and properly using slip roads.

N P S Sohal, Chandigarh

Revoke licences of habitual offenders

Chandigarh's roads reflect a chilling truth: a life lost every four days in a planned and progressive city. With vehicles outnumbering residents, what is required is firm administrative action. AI-enabled surveillance cameras must be installed at black spots to detect speeding, signal jumping and lane-cutting automatically. Licences of habitual offenders should be revoked without hesitation. Schools and colleges must incorporate road safety into their curriculum so responsible driving becomes second nature. Resident Welfare Associations should work with traffic police to report violations. Safe roads are built not only by enforcement but by a society that refuses to remain apathetic.

Yogesh Gaur, Kharar

Promote Carpool Culture in offices

The rising number of cars is alarming. The administration should introduce a carpool scheme for employees and offer incentives such as free parking to participants. Awareness campaigns must encourage carpooling for daily commutes. A mandatory 'Bicycle Day' once a month for employees could reduce congestion and improve public health. These measures would ease traffic pressure and help prevent accidents.

Sunny Dhaliwal, Chandigarh

Potholes must be repaired promptly

Chandigarh's roads need stricter penalties for violations, improved design, additional speed breakers and better highway lighting. Citizens must be educated about road safety and the importance of rule compliance. Potholes must be repaired promptly and public transport encouraged. AI-powered surveillance can strengthen enforcement and deter violators.

V K Tangri, Kharar

Ensure functional streetlights

The administration must repair roads, properly mark signboards and ensure functional streetlights. Potholes and uneven surfaces invite accidents. Citizens must obey traffic rules and avoid rash driving. Challan fees should be increased and vehicles impounded for serious violations. Strict punishments will act as a deterrent.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

Fix Infrastructure, End Corruption

Crumbling roads, potholes and poor repairs contribute significantly to fatal accidents. These issues stem from inadequate funding and corruption, despite Chandigarh generating substantial revenue as the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana. The administration must ensure transparent allocation for infrastructure and eliminate corruption. Improved road quality will directly reduce accidents. Simultaneously, the police must strictly enforce discipline, especially among two- and three-wheeler riders and keep roads free from encroachments.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

Metro & ring road required

With 15 lakh vehicles and 13 lakh residents, traffic pressure is immense. Chandigarh also serves as a transit point between Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, increasing congestion. A Metro project and a ring road connecting neighbouring states could reduce city traffic. However, enforcement must focus on guidance rather than fear. Driving culture from adjoining states contributes to accidents and needs correction.

Wg Cdr J S Minhas (retd), Mohali

Parents must prevent underage driving

The tragic death of Jaahnavi Kandula in Seattle saw compensation of Rs 262 crore awarded to her family. Every life matters equally. In India, underage, drunk and reckless driving, along with broken roads, claim lives daily, yet offenders often secure bail swiftly. The problem is not the number of vehicles but irresponsible driving. Parents must prevent underage driving. Drunk and reckless driving should attract heavy fines. Cycle tracks must be cleared of parked vehicles, and enforcement must be impartial, regardless of status or profession. Police personnel, lawyers and judges must ensure swift and exemplary punishment. Only then will Chandigarh's roads become safer.

Gurpreet S Malhotra, Mohali

Safety Is Collective Responsibility

Chandigarh faces a troubling paradox: a planned city struggling with road safety. Speeding, distracted driving and weak lane discipline have made daily travel risky. Stronger enforcement, strict penalties for drunk driving and smarter surveillance are essential. Safer pedestrian crossings, better lighting and dedicated cycling tracks can reduce vulnerability. Schools should introduce road safety education, and public transport must improve to reduce private vehicle use. Saving lives requires collective responsibility.

Saloni singh

Organise public awareness drives

With vehicles exceeding the population and a life lost every four days, urgent intervention is required. The administration must enforce strict speed limits, mandate helmets and seatbelts, prevent drunk driving, improve signage and adopt AI-driven traffic management. Public awareness campaigns are equally important to educate drivers about risks and responsibilities. Only comprehensive and immediate steps can make Chandigarh's roads truly safe.

Adish Sood, Amloh

Road engineering must improve

Chandigarh's rising traffic demands urgent, collaborative action. Enforcement must become stricter, with fines and licence suspensions for speeding, drunk driving and mobile phone use. Road engineering must improve, better lighting, clearly marked pedestrian crossings, dedicated cycle lanes and regular maintenance are crucial. Technology-driven monitoring through CCTV, speed sensors and AI-based systems should ensure unbiased enforcement. Well-equipped ambulances must be strategically stationed. Ultimately, citizens must wear helmets, use seatbelts and respect signals.

Vrinda Garg, Chandigarh

Comment

FIX ROADS, SAVE LIVES

Chandigarh does not have a traffic problem. It has a killing problem. As many as 407 people have died in five years. One life is lost every four days. Nearly 1,000 road crashes have been recorded since 2021. After a brief improvement in 2023 and 2024, the figures rose again in 2025 — 83 fatal accidents, 86 deaths and 191 total crashes. Progress reversed within 12 months. The city was never designed for this volume. Planned for a fraction of today’s load, Chandigarh now has 14.27 lakh vehicles against a population of 12.5 lakh — 1,142 vehicles per 1,000 residents, the highest ratio in India and nearly four times the national average. Around 104 new vehicles are added every day. Infrastructure has failed to keep pace. The consequences are visible on the roads. Four official black spots have been identified. The Hallomajra stretch on NH-05 recorded nine crashes and nine deaths. That is not coincidence; it signals structural failure demanding immediate engineering intervention, not more awareness drives. Three urgent steps are required. First, redesign and rectify the identified black spots without delay. Second, regulate vehicle growth through stricter parking norms and congestion controls. Third, enforce traffic laws rigorously. Speeding and signal violations must carry penalties severe enough to deter repeat offences, including suspension of driving licences. Chandigarh roads are admired for their design. They must also be safe. The city owes its residents roads that protect life, not end it.

QUESTION for next week

A pregnant stray dog was allegedly confined for 60 days at an MC shelter. What concrete measures should authorities adopt to prevent cruelty and negligence at civic animal shelters?

Suggestions in not more than 150 words can be sent to openhouse@tribunemail.com by Thursday (March 5).