Car-free vote spurs PU to ease traffic woes

CHANDIGARH: While the students' vote in favour of a vehicle-free campus in the referendum conducted by Panjab University (PU) during student council polls is likely to have a bearing on the traffic management system the university plans to have on campus in the future, the university's draft plan for the same includes eight paid parking lots, four e-rickshaw parking points and low-height barricade gates that can be closed to streamline traffic.
The plan, which is part of the changes proposed by PU registrar Col G S Chadha (retd), has been created by the PU architect office and is likely to take off soon. "We have made some changes in the parking system on campus, while some plans are in the pipeline," the registrar said.
Chadha said the university is considering the options of e-rickshaws and bus shuttles inside the academic areas. These were also part of the recommendations by a PU traffic management committee, which proposed availability of e-rickshaws at Gates 1, 2 and 3 for the convenience of students and others.
As per the plans, the paid parking spots will come up near the three gates of the university as well as near its law department, which is also close to Student Centre. This is in sync with the e-rickshaw parking spots, with the idea of visitors being able to use the rickshaws to commute after parking their vehicles near the gates.
The low-height barricades, which will come up at various points will be closed in case PU plans to make certain stretches vehicle-free, or during elections when traffic jams are frequent on the campus. These are to be installed near the girls' hostels, Ankur School, law department and Student Centre (toward Gandhi Bhavan). Similar barricades are already installed at the Student Centre entry adjoining fountains, with only specific vehicles allowed to enter.
As per a survey conducted by the university last year, around 23,000 vehicles entered the Sector 14 campus each day, with over 40% of these being four-wheelers.