Chandigarh roads deadlier than metros despite fewer mishaps
As per the report, the city contributed barely 0.22% to the road accident figures in India in 2023, but its accident severity index stood at 36.8 deaths per 100 accidents – one of the highest among large Indian cities
City Beautiful may have fewer road accidents than most million-plus cities in the country, but when crashes do occur, they are far more likely to turn fatal. This was revealed in the Road Accidents in India-2023 report, released recently by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
As per the report, the city contributed barely 0.22% to the road accident figures in India in 2023, but its accident severity index stood at 36.8 deaths per 100 accidents – one of the highest among large Indian cities. Road accident severity is measured by the number of persons killed per 100 accidents.
In all, the city recorded 182 road accidents in 2023, down from 237 in 2022, but they still claimed 67 lives and left 171 people injured. This translates to nearly one death in every three accidents. In contrast, the average accident severity across 50 million-plus cities was 21.3, while the all-India average was 36.0.
Experts attribute Chandigarh’s high accident severity to a combination of factors like speeding on wide, straight roads.
Umesh Sharma, professor of civil engineering at Punjab Engineering College (PEC), said, “There is no inherent problem with the city’s road design. The city’s arterial and sectoral roads are planned to be driven safely at speeds of 40 to 60 kmph. The issue lies with driver behaviour. Most fatalities are a result of rear-end collisions, which strongly indicates that vehicles were travelling above the permissible speed limits and drivers were unable to brake in time.”
“What is also worrying is the rising share of pedestrians in these accidents — they are the most vulnerable group, and when struck by a speeding vehicle, the outcome is almost always fatal,” he added.
2 in every five deaths that of pedestrians
Unlike many other million-plus cities, where two-wheelers dominate fatalities, Chandigarh has a uniquely high pedestrian death share (41%), suggesting a need for better crossings, refuge islands, speed-calming measures at junctions, and stricter driver yielding rules.
A closer look at the profile of victims reveals that 28 of the 67 people who died in accidents in 2023 were pedestrians. This means two in every five road deaths in the city involved a pedestrian, significantly higher than the national average of 20.4%. This was followed by two-wheelers with 31.3% deaths. “Wide straight roads with higher average speeds increase the danger for pedestrians crossing mid-block,” said a traffic official.
Cyclists, too, remain highly vulnerable despite the presence of a cycle track network. The report notes that 23 cycle-related accidents were recorded, leading to 12 deaths. The city has dedicated cycle tracks, but many are poorly connected, encroached, or not maintained. As a result, cyclists often mix with fast-moving traffic on arterial roads, where overspeeding is rampant.
Speeding, a primary concern
In Chandigarh, speeding remains the single biggest traffic menace, causing 159 accidents and 60 deaths in 2023, nearly nine out of every 10 road fatalities. In comparison, drunken driving led to 14 accidents with four deaths, while red-light jumping caused eight accidents and two deaths.
This year too, Chandigarh has seen multiple road crashes due to speeding. On May 12, police constable Anand Dev, 35, commuting on a bicycle, was killed by a speeding BMW near the Chandigarh police headquarters in Sector 9 while crossing at a zebra crossing. Also, a speeding Porsche Cayenne collided with two scooters near the Sector 4 petrol pump. One male rider died on the spot; two women were severely injured. The car had been moving from the wrong direction at high speed.
Harpeet Singh, road safety expert said, “Cameras and fines cannot, by themselves, solve traffic violations. Officials need to adopt alternative measures such as installing timers for pedestrians and cyclists for their safe crossing and physical presence of cops to curb the menace.”
