Chandigarh: Architects slam concept of Sector 29 flyover

Eminent architects who are members of Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee have termed the concept of having a flyover at the Sector 29/31 roundabout in the city a blunder.

3 min readChandigarhMay 30, 2018 08:35 AM IST

Eminent architects who are members of Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee have termed the concept of having a flyover at the Sector 29/31 roundabout in the city a blunder. According to them, disagreeing on the concept of flyover was not just because of the city’s heritage point of view but because of the fact that the Rs 1,600-crore flyover was not going to solve the basic purpose as the entire traffic would rather shift and choke the next rotary.

Professor Rajnish Wattas, former principal of Chandigarh College of Architecture, said, “Having a flyover is a wrong idea completely. By having a flyover here at this point is just like shifting the problem to another point because the entire traffic will meet at another rotary which is Sector 32 where we have a hospital and the area will get choked. We should look at solving the problem of urban mobility. It is a complete wastage of Rs 1,600 crore.”

Wattas said that flyovers are constructed to take the traffic out of the city and here with this flyover, they were bringing the entire traffic into the city. “Chandigarh has the highest vehicle density and we must look at the problem of urban mobility as a whole. If vehicles from different states enter at this point, we can look at bifurcating the traffic or construct a loop road which will divert the traffic. As this flyover will not solve the problem, then they will say construct flyovers across the entire stretch of Madhya Marg and city will turn into Delhi,” he said.

Former chief architect Sumit Kaur, another member of the CHCC, said that Chandigarh officials must look at foreign countries which were demolishing the flyovers.

“A flyover is not at all viable because we will be easing the congestion here but shifting the traffic congestion at the other point. We need to learn from Seoul, Boston or several other places which have just knocked down the flyovers. I agree there is an increasing problem of traffic and need to have a holistic plan. We can address that problem by having a sustainable solution like having trams, MRTS and other means,” she said.

The architects have decided to oppose the project at the meeting of Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee.
A senior officer of the urban planning department, who is also the member of the CHCC, said that there was not much space for the flyover. “Moreover, there is no space. It will require a lot of height. And who has flyovers just at the entrance? Not only it is non-viable but the city will also look ugly,” he said.

Special Secretary Engineering Mukesh Anand refused to comment on the issue. On May 24, the same day the administration cleared the project of Sector 29 flyover, the urban planning department had submitted a “confidential” report to the engineering wing listing its objections on the project.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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