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Tribune Flyover plan draws criticism from Chandigarh architects, experts

The administration has projected the flyover — proposed at the busy Tribune Chowk — as a key infrastructure intervention to ease congestion along one of the city’s major arterial corridors.

4 min readChandigarhUpdated: Feb 7, 2026 11:12 AM IST

Officials said the project is part of a broader traffic management plan and is aimed at ensuring smoother vehicular movement at peak hours. (Express Photo)

As the Chandigarh Administration moves ahead with preparatory steps for the proposed Tribune Flyover, the project has drawn flak from architects and urban planners, who argue that the approach threatens to irreversibly alter the city without offering a solution to traffic congestion.

The administration has projected the flyover — proposed at the busy Tribune Chowk — as a key infrastructure intervention to ease congestion along one of the city’s major arterial corridors connecting industrial, residential and institutional areas. The UT officials said the project is part of a broader traffic management plan and is aimed at ensuring smoother vehicular movement at peak hours.

However, critics contend that the proposal reflects an outdated planning mindset and runs contrary to the founding principles of Chandigarh, a city conceived as a low-rise, human-scale, green urban space with roundabouts, open vistas and sectoral balance forming the core of its design philosophy.

One of the most detailed objections has come from Advocate Ajay Jagga, a member of the Administrator’s Advisory Council. He has formally written to the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, seeking a review of flyover-centric traffic proposals in the city. In his communication, Jagga warned that the very announcement of flyovers has generated anxiety among residents, who fear that Tribune Chowk could become the starting point of a series of elevated structures across multiple junctions.

Jagga argued, “Experience has shown that flyovers rarely solve congestion; they merely shift the bottleneck from one point to another.” The advocate said the cascading flyover construction is a “nightmare scenario” and will gradually erode Chandigarh’s original planning ethos.

The advocate also drew attention to global examples where cities have consciously dismantled elevated road infrastructure in favour of decongestion-based solutions. He cited the removal of the Cheonggyecheon Expressway in Seoul, the demolition of the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco, and the replacement of Boston’s elevated Central Artery through the Big Dig project in Boston.

“These examples prove that sustainable traffic management lies in better planning, not in building more elevated roads,” Jagga said.

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City-based architect Surinder Bagga, echoed similar concerns. Bagga, also a private consultant and former chairman of the Indian Institute of Architects, Punjab and Chandigarh Chapter, described the flyover as environmentally and technically flawed.

“Firstly, the construction of the Tribune Flyover will cause significant environmental damage, as hundreds of trees are likely to be axed,” he said.

“Secondly, even if the flyover decongests traffic at Tribune Chowk, it will inevitably create chaos, possibly at the GMCH Sector 32 roundabout. This is simply transferring the problem… cannot be considered a holistic traffic solution.”

According to Bagga, long-term solutions could include the development of a ring road around Chandigarh, creation of alternative traffic corridors to divert through-traffic and strengthening of public transport systems to reduce dependence on private vehicles.

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Tarsem Singh, a Mohali urban planner, pointed out that flyovers are permanent structures that are difficult and costly to reverse.

In a city celebrated globally for its architectural coherence and green spaces, critics fear that elevated concrete structures would result in visual intrusion, loss of trees and fragmentation of neighbourhoods.

Experts advocating decongestion-based approaches recommend measures such as intelligent traffic signalling, junction redesign, strict parking regulation, improved pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, and demand management policies.

“These interventions are more flexible, cost-effective and compatible with the character of a planned city like Chandigarh,” Tarsem said.

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula). Professional Background Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases. Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region. Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns: 1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts "12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013. "‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case. "Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification. 2. Investigative & Scams "CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus. "Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh. 3. Environment & Public Safety "Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities. "Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos. 4. Gangster Culture & Crime "City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules. "Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26. Signature Style Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More

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