The Supreme Court has intervened to halt the opening of a road outside the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Chandigarh on an experimental basis, due to security concerns raised by both the Central and Punjab governments. The road in question has been closed since the 1980s owing to threats posed by terrorism. A bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta has issued a notice to the administration of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, directing them to submit their response by September 2nd.
The court took note of the fact that the road was shut down during the peak of terrorism in Punjab three decades ago. However, in April, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had ordered the opening of the 500-meter road, connecting Sukhna Lake to Nayagaon in Chandigarh, on a trial basis from May 1. The High Court had also instructed the Chandigarh Police to seek the assistance of traffic experts to develop a traffic management plan for the road, which was to be opened from 7 am to 7 pm on weekdays.
The closure of the road has forced residents traveling between Nayagaon and Sukhna Lake to take lengthy detours via adjacent sectors of the city. The Supreme Court’s decision to halt the road’s opening is a setback to efforts to ease traffic congestion in the area.
