Standing Committee of the Administrator’s Advisory Council on Transport was Held

By 121 News

Chandigarh, Sept.15, 2025:-The Standing Committee of the Administrator's Advisory Council (on Transport) was held today at under the Chairmanship of Vijay Pal Singh, President, Aam Aadmi Party, Chandigarh. At the outset, the Member Secretary (Director Transport) welcomed all the Members and Officers.

The Member Secretary briefed about the registration and regulation of auto rickshaws in the city. He stated that there are 6000 LPG/CNG autos, 6500 e-rickshaws, and 800 e-autos registered in the city. Under the Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy of U.T., Chandigarh, CREST has successfully provided incentives worth approximately ₹35.06 crore to 5226 beneficiaries. So far, the city has 35 EV charging stations and 11 battery swapping stations. All of these are operated under the OPEX model, resulting in no capital expenditure for the administration.

Officials from the CREST department informed that the lease rent for the public charging and battery swapping stations on MC parking land, amounting to approximately ₹12 lakh, will be deposited to M.C., Chandigarh for the period from May 2024 to May 2025. The Council directed that all parking sites should be equipped with CCTV cameras, and EV charging stations should be strictly reserved for electric vehicles only.

The Council decided that CREST and the Municipal Corporation will conduct joint site visits to assess feasibility for new EV charging stations. This will allow e-autos and other commercial e-vehicles to charge their batteries outside the city before entering, thereby avoiding unnecessary traffic congestion within the city.

The Chairman highlighted that approximately 70% of EV drivers operate vehicles without a license. The Council suggested that the STA department should organize special camps to help these drivers obtain their driving licenses and complete vehicle documentation. These camps may also be conducted at the relevant Union offices.

The Chairman further suggested that Lay Byes for auto rickshaws be developed, with designated areas clearly marked and painted, and with larger signage. The Senior Town Planner stated that a pilot project was conducted at Madhya Marg and 43 Bus Stand. If successful, it will be implemented in other areas of the city. STA department and Traffic Police have been instructed to run special awareness drives for auto-rickshaw drivers to prevent them from parking across markets and roads.

Regarding CTU bus services, the Member Secretary stated that there is a fleet of 632 buses, with 438 buses operating on Tri-City routes, 168 on long routes, and 26 on suburban routes. Out of these, 80 are electric buses. Plans are in place to replace 358 diesel buses with e-buses in FY 2026-27, and add 70 more e-buses in FY 2027-28.

The Council noted increasing encroachments by street vendors in municipal parking areas and directed strict action against those responsible.

The poor condition of cycle tracks and pedestrian paths was also discussed. Overgrown bushes along the road edges should be cleared to make them safe and usable. All cycle tracks should be repaired on a priority basis.

Regarding the replanning and upgradation of the transport area, the Chandigarh Transport Association requested early land acquisition at Daria for the new transport area. An underpass at Transport Chowk is needed to reduce traffic congestion and ensure 24-hour free access for commercial vehicles. They also requested that commercial vehicle permit fees (₹25,000/5 years) be aligned with Punjab and Haryana rates.

The Senior Town Planner stated that a joint site visit was conducted on 24 June 2025 with all stakeholder departments. Environmental clearance for the new transport area is being processed by the Forest Department, and the proposed underpass in the RITES report is also in process.

The proposal for a paid parking yard at Hallomajra for medium and heavy commercial vehicles was discussed and referred to the Architect Department for examination.

The Chairman further highlighted that the small bridge at Bapudham, connecting to Shastri Nagar, often overflows when excess water is released from the lake, causing flooding in Shastri Nagar and forcing traffic diversions. This is a long-standing problem, causing public inconvenience every monsoon. He demanded that a permanent solution be implemented at the earliest.

The Chairman also stated that designated battery swapping and charging points for large electric autos should be set up at the entry points of the city. Proper surveys should be conducted so vehicles can charge before entering the city, preventing parking congestion and maintaining smooth traffic flow.

He further emphasized that during the recent monsoon, several areas of the city were waterlogged, causing major inconvenience to the public. The administration must identify all vulnerable areas and provide permanent solutions, ensuring people's valuable vehicles are not damaged. Proper planning and corrective measures must be taken so that traffic flows smoothly and such issues do not recur in the future.

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks to the Chair.