3 min readChandigarhFeb 26, 2026 09:53 AM IST
First published on: Feb 26, 2026 at 09:51 AM IST
What was once marketed as a premium residential address in New Chandigarh is now referred to by residents as “the killer road”. A stretch near Omaxe’s “The Lake” complex has witnessed at least two fatal accidents in recent years, according to officials at the local police station, including the death of a woman travelling in a Maruti car.
Police said consolidated data on non-fatal accidents is not readily available. Residents, however, claim that near-misses and minor collisions are frequent. “A Zomato rider died on the spot due to a bike skid on August 10, 2025,” Sachin Sharma, a resident of Ambika Florence Park, said.
Gurbir Singh Bhallan, who commutes daily between Mullanpur and Chandigarh, said the stretch has become increasingly unsafe. “There have been multiple accidents here. The road narrows abruptly and during rains, water collects near the culvert area. Vehicles lose balance. Even if not every incident is recorded, people who drive here regularly know it’s unsafe,” he said.
At the centre of the controversy is the Omaxe New Chandigarh project, where “The Lake” residential complex was developed. Proceedings before the National Green Tribunal had flagged that the project obstructed the natural flow of the Siswan river by filling and closing parts of its channel. Historical satellite images from 2003 showed that a rivulet earlier flowed through the area where a road was later constructed without adequate culverts.
In 2019, a joint committee appointed by the tribunal observed that only two pipes of five-foot diameter had been laid beneath the road, which it said were inadequate to handle the estimated peak discharge of 2,000 cusecs. The panel noted that the drainage system had already resulted in flooding.
In March 2020, the tribunal directed that a box culvert be constructed at “Point B” to allow a combined discharge capacity of 2,650 cusecs. Omaxe was directed to bear the cost, while the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority was tasked with execution.
However, Omaxe challenged aspects of the tribunal’s order before the Supreme Court. On July 14, 2023, the apex court issued notice in the matter and granted an interim stay on the operation of the impugned NGT order. The case remains pending, effectively halting full-scale implementation of the mandated works.
On safety concerns relating to the road in front of The Lake, a company spokesperson said, “Omaxe is committed to maintaining a safe and well-managed environment within the project site. The road in front of the project lies outside the scope of the site. We continue to focus on safety within our premises while supporting initiatives that promote overall road safety in the surrounding area.”
GMADA chief Sakshi Sawhney, said, “There is a matter in court but patchwork on the road was undertaken last summer”.
Residents say such measures do little to address structural flaws. With permanent bridges and restoration of the river’s natural course stalled because of the stay order, the stretch continues to witness waterlogging, blind merges and sudden narrowing.
For families who have lost relatives, the legal battle offers little reassurance. What they expected was regulated development and planned mobility. What they face, they say, is an unresolved infrastructure deficit caught between litigation and limited enforcement.
The author is an intern with The Indian Express
A stretch near Omaxe’s “The Lake” complex has witnessed at least two fatal accidents in recent years. (Express Photo) 
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