A recent challaning drive in Mohali saw 15,000 motorists penalised for traffic violations. However, commuters raised concerns that many of these fines were issued despite missing or faded stop lines and zebra crossings
After significant gaps were found in the city’s surveillance and traffic management system, Mohali MLA Kulwant Singh and district authorities have vowed to address these issues within a set timeframe. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Komal Mittal has directed the municipal corporation to resolve all deficiencies within a week, while the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (Gmada) has been given two weeks to complete its share of the work.
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by the MLA at the District Administrative Complex. Attendees included DC Komal Mittal, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Deepak Pareek, Municipal Corporation Commissioner Parminder Pal Singh, and officials from Gmada, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), and the Public Works Department (PWD).
Kulwant Singh clarified that the surveillance system was not intended as a revenue-generating mechanism for the state government but as a facility aimed at ensuring smoother and safer road usage for commuters.
Concerns Over Challaning Drive & Poor Infrastructure
A recent challaning drive in Mohali saw 15,000 motorists penalised for traffic violations. However, commuters raised concerns that many of these fines were issued despite missing or faded stop lines and zebra crossings. Additionally, speed limit boards were either absent or unreadable, leading to confusion among drivers.
After receiving complaints, the MLA instructed the municipal corporation and Gmada to take immediate action. “Traffic signs such as zebra crossings, stop lines, and speed limit boards must be repainted and made clearly visible,” he directed.
Immediate Steps To Improve Road Safety
The Deputy Commissioner has further ordered that all zebra crossings should have clear access for pedestrians from both sides, without any obstruction such as central verges, poles, or structures. She also emphasised the need for speed limit signage similar to Chandigarh’s, providing clear distinctions for light and heavy vehicles.
As per the Punjab government’s speed limit notification, the maximum speed within municipal corporation and municipality areas is 50 km per hour. The government will be requested to install appropriate signages in Mohali to ensure clarity for motorists.
Better Traffic Control Measures Proposed
SSP Deepak Pareek raised the issue of linking traffic light control with the integrated command and control centre at Sohana police station. He argued that if the centre could manage the timing of traffic lights at 17 key intersections, road congestion could be handled more efficiently.
Following this, the DC asked the municipal corporation to consider transferring control of these traffic signals to the command centre. Additionally, the meeting saw discussions on restricting the movement of heavy vehicles on certain roads during peak traffic hours as part of a pilot project to ease congestion.
With authorities now setting deadlines for action, commuters can expect visible improvements in Mohali’s traffic management system in the coming weeks.
