Chandigarh, April 22—The UT administration has begun work to seal one of the two medians near Panjab University’s Gate Number 3, aiming to curb traffic violations and reduce congestion at the accident-prone junction between the university’s North and South Campuses.
The move follows repeated requests from PU authorities seeking a solution to the ongoing traffic chaos outside Gate 3—one of the narrowest and most crowded university entry points. Officials said sealing the median would help stop wrong-side driving, a persistent issue in the area.
However, work on the project was interrupted over the weekend after members of the Students Organisation of India (SOI) staged a protest, arguing that the changes would inconvenience students.
Videos circulating online showed students using barricades to block traffic and engaging in arguments with police.
A police official from the PCR, who responded to the protest, said, “The order has come from the UT chief engineer. This spot is known for traffic offences like wrong-side driving and is also prone to accidents. While we have pacified the students, the work certainly won’t be halted.”
PU vice-chancellor Renu Vig said the university had approached traffic authorities multiple times to address safety concerns at the site. Registrar YP Verma clarified that only one median will be sealed, while the other near the South Campus Alumni House will remain open.
Gate Number 3 frequently witnesses bottlenecks, especially during ID checks required under university policy. Officials added that the university is working on a proposal to widen the gate into a two-lane passage to improve traffic flow.
A previous plan to add a separate entry and exit was shelved, and instead, the current gate will be expanded with provisions for U-turns. From May 1, PU will implement a sticker system to restrict campus vehicle entry to authorized vehicles only.
