CET gridlocks Chandigarh-Zirakpur highway: A glimpse into the traffic nightmare ahead

Time of India

5 days ago

Chandigarh: If Saturday's traffic chaos was any indication, the upcoming Industrial Area flyover project might just push one of the city's major arteries to the brink. The Haryana Common Eligibility Test (CET) turned the Chandigarh-Zirakpur corridor into a sprawling snarl of honking horns, stalled engines, and frustrated commuters — offering a preview of what lies ahead.
With 1.48 lakh aspirants heading to 153 exam centres, the city's arteries — especially Dakshin Marg — buckled under pressure. Buses from Haryana Roadways and Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU), packed to the brim, poured into the city, triggering gridlocks that stretched from Poultry Farm roundabout to the Zirakpur-Chandigarh barrier.
The CET was held in two shifts — morning and afternoon — but the real test was for the city's traffic infrastructure.
As candidates exited centres post-exam, the roads turned into a maze of serpentine queues, with Madhya Marg, Housing Board Light Point, and Iron Market Chowk all reporting severe congestion.
Rajbir Singh, a resident of Sector-48, shared his ordeal: "It took me an hour to reach Sector-27 and back. I was stuck at the Sector-29/30/31/32 roundabout for 30 minutes. Google Maps showed a red line across Dakshin Marg — it was a complete jam."
Despite 350 buses deployed from Sector-17 Dussehra Ground and Sector-34 Exhibition Ground, many candidates opted for private vehicles, compounding the chaos. Schools were shut to ease the load, and traffic cops manually operated signals at key junctions, but the relief came only after 7.30 pm.