Driving force

Chandigarh is called ‘City Beautiful’, thanks to the meticulous planning by Le Corbusier. Another feather in the city’s cap is its traffic discipline, which makes it an example for other cities to follow. All the vehicles entering the welcome gate of the city immediately slow down, even stopping in front of the zebra crossing.

Not very far from there is Patiala, the city of gardens and the famous ‘Patiala peg’ where no one seems to give a damn about the traffic rules. One can see youngsters triple-riding on motorcycles, without helmets, and possibly without documents, jumping the red light, right under the nose of the traffic cop who is busy chatting on his mobile phone.

The PRTC bus drivers are no exception. As you wait for the traffic signal to change, they’ll honk from behind you, hurling abuses and rude gestures that one can make out from across the windshield of the bus.

Surprisingly, all such traffic offenders start following the rules as soon as they enter Chandigarh. The maxim ‘Spare the rod and spoil the child’ applies here. In colloquial terms, such offenders may aptly be termed ‘Jutti de yaar’. It is time the state government adopts a similar strategy for cities of Punjab and makes sure everyone adheres to the traffic rules.

— Col RS Narula (Retd), Patiala