Open House: What steps should UT traffic police take to end commuting woes on Zirakpur-Chandigarh road?

The police should not stop any vehicle for checking during the rush hours of morning and evening. CCTVs are doing very well when it comes to checking violations. When traffic lights are not operational, traffic cops should regulate the traffic. On each and every traffic light and roundabouts, traffic marshals may be deployed to put an end to corruption and harassment by traffic police.

Kirpal Singh, Chandigarh

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Deploy more cops to manage traffic

More traffic cops should be deputed during peak hours for smooth movement of the vehicles on various crossings on the Zirakpur-Chandigarh road. It should be ensured that two-wheelers and four-wheelers move in separate lanes. Use of mobile phones should be checked as such motorists slow down the pace of traffic movement.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

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Use real-time data for signal timers

Implement smart traffic management system, utilising real-time data for dynamic signal adjustments. Introduce dedicated lanes for public transport, encouraging its use. Promote flexible work hours to reduce traffic on road. Establish carpooling initiatives and incentivise sustainable transportation. Embrace technology for seamless ticketing and traffic monitoring.

Gaganpreet Singh, Mohali

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Improve public transport service

Deploy artificial intelligence-powered drones for real-time congestion insights. Reward peak-hour cyclists. Improve public transport. Frequency of buses plying on the route should be increased so that people stop commuting on personal vehicles.

Amanjot Kaur, Mohali

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Impose hefty fine for wrong parking

To unclog the Zirakpur-Chandigarh artery, UT police should turn strategic. Use smart traffic light system that adapts to real-time flow, not rigid schedules. Heavy penalty for wrong parking and lane change can help too. Incentivise carpooling and cycling. Finally, think beyond cars. Expand bus rapid transit and invest in a Zirakpur-Chandigarh metro line. These steps will save commuters from the daily hassle.

Gurdev Singh, Mohali

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Smarten up traffic management

Coordinate lights across junctions for uninterrupted movement of traffic. Use dedicated lanes for buses and bikes and stop illegal U-turns. Free up vital space with swift fines and towing of wrongly parked vehicles. This synchronized symphony of tech and enforcement will rid commuters of daily blues, transforming rush hour from a chaotic chorus to a smooth, coordinated movement.

Gurpreet Kaur, Mohali

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Raise awareness on carpool benefits

Encourage the use of alternative routes by providing motorists with real-time information about less crowded roads. Raise awareness on benefits of carpool and ride-sharing.

Sahibpreet Singh, Mohali

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Blame it on violation of periphery laws

The situation is result of illegal construction permitted by the state in violation of periphery laws; and only solution is that no further expansion of the tricity. States of Punjab and Haryana should move some of their offices out of UT to or near Zirakpur. Bus service on the stretch should be improved so that people opt for it.

Ajay Jagga, Chandigarh

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Study traffic pattern to adjust signal timer

The UT police should constantly analyse the traffic pattern at the old airport light point, Hallo Majra and Tribune Chowk. This would assist in effecting adjustments to make timings of traffic lights appropriate. Deploy highly motivated and young traffic cops where manual intervention is warranted. Simultaneously, the projects of road widening, service lanes, cycle tracks and the Tribune Flyover need to be pursued on a war -footing.

Brig Advitya Madan, Chandigarh

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Metro answer to traffic congestion

To tackle traffic congestion, a Metro Rail project should be made a reality at the earliest. We cannot continue to live with the heritage tag by ignoring the ground realities which have drastically changed since 1952.

Capt Amar Jeet, Kharar

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Dedicated lanes for buses can help

The UT police should implement strategic traffic management such as optimising signal timing, creating dedicated lanes for public transport and increasing surveillance to deter traffic violations. Additionally, promoting alternative modes of transportation and encouraging flexible work hours could further ease commuters' woes. Also, consider widening the road, creating service lanes and underpasses for lasting solution.

Prithvee Yakhmi, Chandigarh

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Elevated road can alleviate woes

Commuting between Zirakpur and Chandigarh has become an uphill task, particularly during rush hours of morning and evening. Heavy vehicular traffic likes buses and trucks should follow Aerocity, Panchkula roads to enter Chandigarh. Construction of an elevated road between Zirakpur and Chandigarh is the need of the hour to address the problem of traffic congestion.

Col TBS Bedi, Mohali

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Deploy cops at all vulnerable points

With no traffic police personnel around, people park vehicles on roads, take wrong turns and slow-moving vehicles choke the roads. Police personnel be deployed at all vulnerable points from 8 am to 11 pm daily to regulate traffic. Violators should be challaned unsparingly to make them follow traffic rules. The SHO concerned be held accountable for any lapse.

KC Rana Chandigarh

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Commuters should travel by CTU buses

People should travel in CTU buses as far as possible because these are economical and safe. Carpool should be encouraged. Introduce Metro rail to decongest roads.

Parisha Khatri, Chandigarh

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Work on creating alternative route

Commuters travelling between Zirakpur and Chandigarh during peak hours are a harried lot. Office-goers get late due to snarl-ups on the route. The UT police, along with their Zirakpur counterparts, should ensure smooth movement of traffic in their respective areas. The authorities must work on creating an alternative route to put an end to the traffic mess on the stretch.

MR Bhateja, Nayagaon

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Pick-and-drop points should be reviewed

Deployment of more traffic personnel during peak hours, lane driving and regulated movement of vehicles on service roads will help reduce chaos on the main road. There should be no stoppages between two light points. Pick up-and-drop off zones for autos, cabs and buses need to be reviewed. Take strict action against auto drivers halting or turning at their will, disrupting the movement of traffic. Traffic lights timers should be synchronised. Plying of heavy vehicles should be prohibited during peak hours.

Pritpal Singh Gill, SAS Nagar

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Flyovers can help end traffic chaos

The Chandigarh-Zirakpur road looks like the Delhi-Gurugram highway during peak hours. The design of the Zirakpur bridge is faulty, which has added to the woes of commuters. There is a need to construct elevated bridge from Tribune Chowk to the Zirakpur flyover for traffic going to and coming from the Delhi side. This would help local commuters. An underground road from Zirakpur to Tribune Chowk may end the traffic chaos as well.

Wg Cdr JS MInhas (retd), Mohali

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Top brass must rise to occasion

Traffic jams have become a routine on the Zirkpur-Chandigarh stretch. It is high time the top brass of the Police Department brainstormed on the issue and come out with a solution. Both UT as well as Punjab cops have to coordinate to end the traffic problems people have to suffer while travelling on the stretch. Utilise technology for better coordination and smooth movement of traffic. Violators should not be spared. Cops be deployed in congestion-prone areas. Roads should be widened.

Vidya Sagar Garg, Panchkula

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Separate lanes for light, heavy traffic

Traffic lights should be functional and cops deployed there should ensure there are no red light jumpers. There ought to be separate lanes for light and heavy vehicles. Commuters should be told to follow lane driving. Parking and encroachments along the roadside should be removed at once for hassle-free traffic movement.

Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali

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Improve the public transport system

There is no reliable public transport system available for commuters travelling in the tricity. Bring in more buses, start Metro or tram service. There is a dire need for an alternative roads between Chandigarh and Zirakpur. Only one major road link between two places is bound to cause bottlenecks, particularly during peak hours.

Sanjay Chopra, Mohali

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Act against those driving zigzag

The only solution to deal with the heavy rush is marking of separate lanes for two-wheelers and four-wheelers. The roads under the Zirakpur flyover remain clogged. Two-wheeler riders try to reach into every possible space available on the road to go ahead of four-wheelers. This slows down the traffic movement and has to be stopped. Traffic cops should fix points on the road where three-wheelers can pick and drop passengers.

Gulshan Kumar

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Board a bus or ride a two-wheeler to office

Despite the presence of traffic cops at the old airport light point and Hallo Majra, there is no relief for commuters travelling between Zirakpur and Tribune Chowk. The main road and service lanes should be widened to get rid of the problem. As far as possible, commuters should be motivated to use public/mass transport to reduce traffic or ride two-wheelers to cut travel time.

Vijay Shukla, Chandigarh

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Opening time of shops, offices mustn't clash

The business community commuting from Zirakpur should make sure their shop opening timings do not coincide with the timings of government offices. People must make use of car pool to reduce pollution and improve the air quality index. Last but not the least, the public transport system should be made strong and frequency of buses should be increased so that people find these convenient and stop travelling in their own vehicles.

Savita Kuthiala

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Commuters’ time, fuel wasted in jams

Daily jams lead to a waste of commuters' time as well as national loss in terms of fuel wastage due to engines running on idle for a long time. The traffic police should divert traffic to village roads. The village road network should be strengthened by the local administration. The local administration should develop multiple alternative routes to tackle the traffic menace.

Vijay Malia, Chandigarh

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Start dedicated lane for buses

Public transport must be improved so that the number of private vehicles on the road is reduced. Put curbs on illegal parking and encroachments. A dedicated bus lane can be introduced for a sustainable and efficient transportation system.

Anita K Tandon, Mundi Kharar

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Build separate road for two-wheelers

There should be a separate lane for two-wheelers, just like cycling tracks. This will not only prompt people to leave their four-wheelers at home, but also regulate movement of traffic as two-wheeler riders often change lanes, slowing down the movement of four-wheelers. All ongoing construction work should be completed as soon as possible to bring some relief to commuters.

Antra Rakheja, Chandigarh

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Stagger timings of offices, ind'l units

The traffic congestion is caused by employees and workers having their offices and factories, respectively, in Chandigarh. The number of traffic lights on the stretch adds to the commuters' woes . Staggered operational hours of industrial units can help in reducing the rush on the road.

SS Arora, Mohali

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Deploy adequate number of cops

Between Zirakpur and Chandigarh, the vehicular volume has increased a lot. The number of traffic cops deputed in Zirakpur is quite less, which contributes to traffic congestion. The strength of cops should be increased there at all points. Special attention should be paid to the areas prone to long traffic jams.

Gurnam Singh Rathore, Chandigarh

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Run special buses during rush hours

Due to a single route, traffic snarl-up remain the order of the day on the Chandigarh-Zirakpur road. Even as flyovers have been built, there is no respite. The authorities should create alternative routes between the two places and run special buses to reduce traffic during rush hours.

Avinash Goyal, Chandigarh

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Get a smart traffic control system

Daily commuters between Zirakpur and Chandigarh endure regular and extended traffic congestion, making their travel during morning and evening a constant challenge. The UT police should take necessary steps to alleviate their suffering. Smart traffic control system is a must.

Adish Sood, Amloh

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Identify, remove points of congestion

The authorities must fast-track pending road projects between the two places. Moreover, alternative routes between Chandigarh and Zirakpur must be chalked out and major spots of congestion identified and removed.

Saikrit Gulati, Chandigarh

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Need for another arterial road

Commuting between Zirakpur and Chandigarh is a Herculean task due to perennial traffic congestion. The flyover has not been helpful in easing out the congestion on this stretch. The traffic police are unable to clear the jam during peak hours as the number of vehicles is increasing day by day. There has to be another arterial road which could divert traffic from Zirakpur to Chandigarh. The police could also start an odd-even formula to ease out traffic congestion. Another way out is that the traffic discipline has to be enforced strictly and only lane driving should be permitted.

Dr Anil Kumar Yadav, Chandigarh

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Question for next week

Despite night shelters at various locations in the city, there is limited uptake of the facility. Many homeless people, rickshaw pullers and beggars continue to choose sleeping in market corridors or other locations. What steps should the UT Administration take to encourage these people in availing themselves of the facility of night shelter?

Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to [email protected]

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