Chandigarh records 19?cline in road fatalities over one-year period

Chandigarh witnessed a significant improvement in road safety, with data from the Chandigarh Police revealing a 19% reduction in fatal road accidents and related deaths in 2023 compared to the previous year. In 2022, 79 fatal accidents resulted in 83 deaths, while in 2023, the number decreased to 64 accidents, claiming 67 lives.

Contributing factors to the reduction

Deputy Superintendent of Police (Road Safety) Jaswinder Singh credited the decline to rigorous law enforcement, engineering modifications in the city, and other contributing factors. Measures such as installing speed-controlling table tops at critical junctions and enforcing lane discipline near roundabouts played a crucial role. The city's black spots, where accidents were more frequent, reduced from 15 to six, primarily located on the outskirts. Singh emphasized the positive impact of mapping accidents, awareness campaigns, and the extensive CCTV camera network integrated into the city's traffic control system.

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Enforcement and challans

In terms of enforcement, Chandigarh Traffic Police issued an impressive 9.2 lakh challans in 2023, collecting ₹10.6 crore in fines—an increase of 66.2% from the previous year. This robust enforcement contributed significantly to maintaining road discipline and reducing traffic violations. The six identified black spots, including Railway light point and Hallomajra roundabout, have seen improvements, showcasing the success of engineering solutions.

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Chandigarh's success in curbing road accidents and fatalities reflects a nationwide trend, countering the overall growth in road accident deaths. The concerted efforts of law enforcement, engineering interventions, and public awareness campaigns have collectively contributed to making the city's roads safer for residents.