How to decongest the City Beautiful and why

AFEW weeks ago, the unthinkable happened. Flying back to Chandigarh from the smog-laden dystopia of Delhi, I looked forward to getting back to the blue skies of my 'Garden City' hometown. But as the plane descended for landing, the erstwhile panorama of green fields and the azure-blue Shivalik mountain range was cloaked in a gloomy shawl of grey.

Media reports raised serious concerns about the unprecedented rise in the AQI levels of the city. The figures were matching those of Delhi and were even worse at times. The usual suspects were being blamed: 'western disturbances', farm fires, poor wind speed, dust, construction. But the elephant in the room was the increase in vehicular emissions.

Chandigarh not only has the distinction of the highest per capita income but also the highest number of cars per person car in the country. From being a pedestrians paradise, its roads are crammed with automobiles today. In 2023, Chandigarh registered a record-breaking 53,220 vehicles, much above the average 45,697 vehicles registered per year over the last decade. The 'oxygen capital of India' has now among the highest AQI figures in the country.

Another development — about Haryana wanting to build its own Assembly complex in Chandigarh to accommodate its growing spatial needs — also reflects the congestion and paucity of space occurring in the city, and specially in the Capitol Complex, which is listed as a UNESCO property. The other edifices of the Capitol — the Secretariat and high court — face similar constraints. Perhaps, all three need to shift some of their functions to other locations.

The constant struggle to balance the two forces — the ever-expanding needs of a 'living heritage city' and saving the work of genius architect and planner Le Corbusier — needs a nuanced approach. With unplanned expansions will come threats to its authenticity that could jeopardise its UNESCO tag.

Designed for a population of half a million, today is home to nearly 1.3 million. The Chandigarh Master Plan 2031 has estimated that the projected population of Chandigarh could touch between 16 and 20 lakh by 2030 and that of the entire Tricity region could shoot up to 45 lakh.

And only seven decades ago, when the new capital project of Chandigarh was launched by the Government of Punjab, there were some apprehensions that India’s first planned city would never be inhabited; it would be like the historic follies of Daulatabad and Fatehpur Sikri.

The success story of Chandigarh has now, quite ironically, become its problem. 'Brand Chandigarh' as an urban product has not been bettered or even matched by the new satellite towns or other capital cities in the post-Independence India.

The trifurcation of Chandigarh in 1966 made it not only the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana but also a centrally administered city. With three governments functioning out of a 114-sq km Union Territory (out of which only 70-sq km constitute the planned urban grid), it leaves it open for encroachments and violations.

As such, the city needs to decompress and decentralise some facilities to the adjoining satellite towns to its advantage. A larger Chandigarh Urban Complex (CUC), on the lines of the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi needs to be considered. Like the NCR Planning Board, there ought to be a well-empowered CUC to undertake common interlinked infrastructure projects.

All congestion points in Chandigarh need to be decongested. Instead of permitting mega shopping malls in its industrial area, which are leading to traffic jams, the sub city centre of Sector 34 should be made more attractive for investment as it has more space.

Similarly, the 'urban villages' in Chandigarh are no more traditional villages engaged in agricultural activities but hubs for low rental accommodation or low tariff hotels. With very little control over their expansion and an absence of bye-laws, they are growing in a chaotic manner.

Besides this, the most important point towards retaining the green city tag is reducing dependence on private vehicles for intra-city movement.

Recently, the Chandigarh Administration revived the Tricity metro project which had been shelved in 2017. It is projected to connect the city with the adjoining townships of Mohali, New Chandigarh and Panchkula. The revival is warranted as the Tricity now has a combined population of around three million, leading to traffic jams and frequent congestions. In March, 2023, the project was given an in-principle approval by the Centre. What components would be underground and overhead are yet to be settled.

Its planning emphasis will have to shift to public transport systems, including slow-moving trams, electric buses and trolley cars. Some congested areas should be declared as 'no vehicular zones', allowing only electric carts, walking and cycling. European cities like Zurich, Vienna, Istanbul and Barcelona are doing very well with these hybrid modes of transport.

The visionary city plan of Chandigarh embedded a hierarchical system of movement, providing for eight types of roads and paths. The V7 roads were meant for pedestrians and V8 for cyclists. Unfortunately, they were never fully built, though cycle paths have been recently constructed at an impressive speed.

Today, for a person to walk from his doorstep to the neighbourhood market to do simple everyday domestic errands — which ought to be a pleasure — is a risky nightmare. Pedestrian pavements must be mended by removing encroachments and improving road infrastructure.

Along with these measures to decongest the city, the satellite towns should be no more viewed as the 'poor cousins' of Chandigarh but as its safety valves to let off the pressures on the main city. Chandigarh should be seen in the larger context, somewhat like Edwin Lutyens' New Delhi, all around which are structures from the past as well as for the future.

An integrated Chandigarh Urban Complex could be the engine of economic growth as well as the best bet to preserve its historic heritage.