30,000 vehicles versus 2,800 slots: Traffic surge leaves PGI patients, visitors frustrated

Chandigarh: PGI is grappling with a severe parking crisis, as a daily influx of over 30,000 vehicles overwhelms its capacity of 2,800 parking slots. Despite ongoing efforts to expand parking infrastructure, the chaotic traffic situation persists, leaving patients and visitors frustrated.
While a new multi-level parking facility with a capacity for 640 cars is under construction near the new OPD, and another proposal is pending for a facility behind the dental clinic, these measures are proving insufficient to address the scale of the problem.
"The contractor handling the parking contract often lacks adequate manpower, leading to haphazard parking and no one to guide vehicles to allocated spaces," complained a visitor, highlighting the operational challenges. The existing three-storeyed multi-level parking, accommodating around 500 cars, also falls short of meeting the demand.
PGI has explored various solutions to decongest the parking areas. Shuttle services and the earmarking of space for additional multi-level parking have been implemented, but the sheer volume of daily visitors renders these efforts inadequate. An attempt to encourage patients capable of walking to be dropped off outside the OPD gates has also proved unsuccessful.
Also, a proposed smart bike initiative, aimed at encouraging faculty and staff residing on campus to use bicycles or walk, failed to gain traction. "The aim was to reduce reliance on cars within the campus, but there were not many takers," explained an official.
The traffic chaos is expected to persist until Sarangpur satellite centre becomes operational, offering a long-term solution by diverting a portion of the patient load. With the new centres and buildings coming up this year, the traffic and parking woes are expected to escalate. The Advanced Neurosciences Centre and Mother and Child Centre are expected to be functional in another two months. This area has no space for public parking. There are existing parking slots nearby which are occupied more than the capacity.
"Only when the OPDs are shifted to Sarangpur centre, will there be ease of traffic flow in the campus. This was the condition; the UT agreed to sell its land to the PGI for its satellite centre in Sarangpur," said an official in PGI.