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Last-minute Diwali shopping surge leaves Chandigarh roads choked
Roads around popular markets and Nexus Elante mall remained chock-a-block with vehicles, while the routes connecting Chandigarh with adjoining cities like Mohali, Panchkula and Zirakpur also saw traffic moving at a snail’s pace
Traffic jams prevailed across the city on Wednesday evening as residents stepped out for some last-minute shopping and to enjoy festive decorations before Diwali.
Roads around popular markets and Nexus Elante mall remained chock-a-block with vehicles, while the routes connecting Chandigarh with adjoining cities like Mohali, Panchkula and Zirakpur also saw traffic moving at a snail’s pace.
Jams around markets in Sectors 17, 22 and 35 started in the afternoon, with the situation not improving until 8 pm as shoppers wrapped up their festive purchases.
During peak shopping hours in the evening, even those looking for cabs were left stranded, with barely any rides available and fares surging three to four fold.
Speaking about the response this time, Chandigarh Beopar Mandal president Charanjiv Singh said this Diwali was being celebrated on a grand scale, giving business a boost after the Covid-induced slump in 2020.
He said, “Shopkeepers are happy with the response. Traffic police had deployed cops in major markets to regulate vehicles on roads, while market associations managed parking inside the parking lots and guided people to nearby designated government schools for parking.”
Singh added that the Beopar Mandal had instituted an award for the “best managed parking” and the winner will be announced after Diwali.
Chandigarh Residents Associations’ Welfare Federation (CRAWFED) chairman Hitesh Puri complained that visitors even parked vehicles outside houses, compounding the chaos.
He noted that in previous years, the traffic police used to work with CRAWFED and they would help install banners to guide visitors towards the designated parking lots. But nothing was done this time and the RWAs were ignored.
The traffic police had tied up with government schools and some colleges to function as makeshift parking lots near markets to tackle the festive rush. The schools were opened for parking from October 12 till November 1.
While the initiative saw a good response in markets like Sectors 19 and 22, in other places, significant distance between the market and school proved as a deterrent for visitors, who parked their vehicles willy-nilly in front of markets, even if illegally, clogging roads. Several visitors claimed they were simply not aware of the alternative parking arrangements.
