Lack of transportation philosophy in Chandigarh

In the urban scheme of transportation squares, traffic is differentiated as follows: self-regulated traffic, compulsory-regulated traffic, combined-traffic, and traffic at different levels.

To be candid, a perusal of Chandigarh8217;s transportation squares leads one nowhere. It appears as if the city has no transportation philosophy. Had it one, it would never have changed it so rapidly. For example, its traffic ideology can be summed up in this sequence. From self-regulated traffic8217; to compulsory-regulated traffic8217; to combined traffic.8217; What next ? Traffic at different levels could be the only explanation.

However, the concept of grade separations may not be practicable at this late stage because of several impediments. For instance, is it feasible to construct flyovers on all the roundabouts located at 800 meters distance from each other? Would the existing available space near the intersections permit construction of flyovers now or in the future? Is it possible now to provide separate lanes for vehicles with different speeds in a mixed traffic? Is there any solution of intensive traffic roads located close and parallel to residential areas creating deafening noise and air pollution?

City planners, at the planning stage of a new town, should not solely be guided by the citizens8217; present day requirement. Unfortunately, our planners remained fascinated with the planning of Chandigarh in the first three decades of its inception and planned several other towns in the region on the same lines. Of late, the faulty layout plan of Chandigarh8217;s transportation system has been a concern of constant agitation to the commuters. What worries the residents is not the past, but the present automotive explosion8217; and the grubby and perilous future8217; on traffic front.

Like elsewhere, the number of vehicles is multiplying at much faster rate than urban human population in Chandigarh. The intensity of traffic, besides creating chaotic conditions on the road, has also increased the woes of the public manifold.

The living conditions have already deteriorated under the weight of about a million smoke-belching vehicles. It is estimated that vehicular traffic in Chandigarh and its satellite towns would increase ten-times by 2020 AD, choking all transportation arteries and creating traffic bottlenecks at each and every transportation and parking square.

The ongoing practice of building, demolishing and re-building of roundabouts with the highest traffic load; their replacement by traffic lights or policemen or both; or construction of slip-lanes by their side is in fact no permanent solution to the impending catastrophe on the traffic front. Chandigarh8217;s small territory of 114 square kms is already replete with traffic lights and policemen. Many a times, just to cover a distance of 400 meters, a motorist is held up at four traffic light points.

The erratic power supply particularly in summers renders light signals out of gear and consequently, traffic jams and accidents have become the order of the day.

Recently, an attempt was made by the Chandigarh police to implement one-way traffic concept on trial basis first in Sector-24 the sector with the lowest traffic density and then in Sector 17 8211; the City8217;s central business District. The experiment failed miserably. Instead of regulating traffic, it resulted in blockades on many roads.

One-way traffic is unworkable in a city like Chandigarh owing to the way the sectors and roads have been designed. In the absence of radial lanes, the motorists in Chandigarh would have to travel long distances.

While choosing a rectangular road pattern, Corbusier and his Indian associates failed to visualise the multiplying volume of automotive traffic in the coming decades. Not only this, they also ignored important principles of transportation viz. passenger traffic in peak hours, travel time, economic expediency, and local socio-geographical condition.

Consequently, in a continental climate extreme hot and cold like ours, no diagonal shorter access is provided even to a pedestrian to reach the point of his or her destination or periphery of a rectangle embedded in the grid pattern. Major highways in the City are laid parallel to shopping areas with no cross-overs for pedestrians.

Ornamental plantations along most of the roads provide no overhead shade in extremely hot summers. There is no overhead shade in extremely hot summers. Also, there is no provision of drinking outlets or public toilets or urinals along the roads for the pedestrians.

If Chandigarh wants to maintain smooth and comfortable flow of traffic on its roads in the first quarter of the next century, it must take urgent remedial measures. Otherwise, the day is not far when its status of being a model planned city of India may sink into oblivion.