A day after MP Manish Tewari flagged traffic mismanagement at the Chandigarh railway station through X, senior rail officials, along with UT Police and the Chandigarh Road Safety Society (CRSS), carried out a joint survey on Monday to identify the reasons behind the congestion and formulate measures to streamline the traffic movement around the station.
Event Context
The inspection was led by Vinod Bhatia, divisional railway manager (DRM), Ambala division, and UT SSP (traffic and security) Sumer Pratap Singh. As an immediate measure, the traffic police have installed “No Parking” barricades along the main approach road to curb illegal parking. The work of filling potholes at the CTU bus stop was also initiated during the inspection.
Team Analysis
The railway station witnesses a heavy rush between 2 pm and 4 pm, mainly due to the arrival and departure of two Vande Bharat trains. The Ajmer Vande Bharat Express departs around 3.15 pm. Around the same time, the Amb Andaura–New Delhi Vande Bharat Express arrives.
Officials said that since the Ajmer Vande Bharat Express departs from platform number 6, passengers have been advised to enter the station from the Panchkula side to ease traffic on the other side.
Lalit Garg, 39, owner of Garg Cloth House in Sector 17, who frequently travels to Delhi, said the Madhya Marg route remains feasible as the other two roads are in a poor condition. “The Industrial Area Phase I route is often affected by waterlogging at the underbridge. The Dariya route, which is unsafe for passengers, has deteriorated because of heavy truck movement,” he said.
A parking attendant said cab and auto-rickshaw drivers usually avoid entering the parking area to escape paying the fee and take U-turns on the approach road, contributing to traffic jam.
Staff crunch
Highlighting staff crunch, a Government Railway Police (GRP) official said 15–20 policemen are posted at the station whereas the requirement is 50 personnel. “There is no dedicated traffic in-charge at the station that witnesses frequent VIP movements of judges, MPs, etc.,” he said.
MP Tewari stuck for 90 minutes
Speaking to HT, MP Manish Tewari said he had to board a Vande Bharat Express, scheduled to depart at 3.35 pm, but remained stuck in traffic for nearly 90 minutes to cover a 1-km stretch from the Madhya Marg traffic light point to the station on Sunday. He said the traffic police failed to regulate traffic, displaying a “callous attitude.”
In a post on X, he described the traffic situation outside the railway station an “absolute mess”. He urged railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to direct the authorities to improve traffic management and requested the UT DGP to ensure better coordination between the police and the RPF, triggering Monday’s inspection.
Match Outlook
Proposals requiring structural changes and approvals, such as widening the point from where CTU buses make a U-turn, will be taken up, officials said. A senior railway official said illegally parked auto-rickshaws and other vehicles outside the station would be removed to ensure smoother traffic flow. The existing CTU bus stop will be widened by removing a portion of the adjoining green belt, allowing buses to halt in a more organised manner.
Internal roads leading to the parking area will be widened and cleared of obstructions. A closed exit road will soon be reopened. Officials also decided to remove the old rail engine displayed near the station entrance to create additional space for the bus stop. The heritage engine is likely to be relocated to Ambala. Railway officials said such engines are displayed at many stations as heritage symbols, but in this case it occupies valuable space needed for traffic management.
SSP Sumer Pratap Singh said the proposed measures would be implemented in coordination with the railway authorities and other stakeholders.
Railway officials will submit a report to MP Manish Tewari detailing the measures initiated to address traffic congestion and related issues.
Afternoon chaos
