Encouraging Safer Driving: How Chandigarh and Kolkata are Tackling Speeding on City Roads

By Shashikant Nishant Sharma

In the context of rising urban traffic concerns in India, cities like Chandigarh and Kolkata have taken proactive measures to address one of the most persistent problems on their roads—overspeeding. With the growing number of vehicles and increasing traffic congestion, urban safety has become a critical issue. Authorities in both these cities have explored and implemented a range of solutions to reduce vehicle speeds and encourage safer driving behavior.

Chandigarh: A Model for Speed Management

Chandigarh, often considered one of India’s best-planned cities, has been at the forefront of urban traffic management. Recognizing the threats posed by high-speed driving—especially on wide arterial roads and sectors designed for fast movement—the Chandigarh Traffic Police initiated a comprehensive speed-calming strategy.

Key interventions included:

• Installation of Speed Cameras: High-resolution automated speed detection cameras were deployed at key intersections and vulnerable points to catch violators and generate e-challans in real time.
• Road Diet and Traffic Calming Measures: The city experimented with lane narrowing, installation of rumble strips, and raised pedestrian crossings. These measures aimed at naturally reducing vehicle speeds by altering driver perception and enforcing compliance.
• Intensive Awareness Campaigns: Through social media, radio, and public engagement programs, the authorities educated drivers—especially young motorists—about the risks of speeding and the legal consequences.
• Speed Limits and Zoning: Specific zones such as school areas, hospitals, and high-pedestrian zones were designated with reduced speed limits (20–30 km/h), and were closely monitored for enforcement.

The result was a noticeable reduction in speeding-related crashes, particularly in school zones and near marketplaces. Moreover, citizen feedback revealed improved perceptions of safety, encouraging more people to walk and cycle.

Kolkata: Integrating Safety with Urban Chaos

Kolkata presents a different urban context. With a dense urban fabric, a high reliance on public transport, and narrow, crowded streets, managing traffic speeds is both critical and challenging. The Kolkata Traffic Police adopted a multipronged approach to deal with these issues.

Key initiatives included:

• Adaptive Signal Systems and Traffic-Calming Zones: The use of intelligent traffic lights helped reduce vehicle speeds without causing excessive delays. Additionally, dedicated “calm zones” were created in sensitive areas like Park Street and Esplanade.
• Increased Enforcement and Penalties: Mobile speed radars and a greater number of traffic police personnel were deployed during peak hours to catch and deter speeding vehicles.
• Infrastructure Modifications: Speed breakers, median barriers, and pedestrian islands were constructed in accident-prone areas to slow down traffic and make pedestrian crossings safer.
• Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): Kolkata engaged with local NGOs and tech firms to roll out awareness campaigns, safety audits, and behavior-change programs, especially targeting commercial vehicle drivers and two-wheeler users.

Interestingly, the city also focused on improving the conditions of pedestrian infrastructure, which indirectly discouraged high-speed driving by giving road priority to non-motorized users.

The Way Forward

Both Chandigarh and Kolkata demonstrate how Indian cities, despite differing in scale and structure, can adopt innovative solutions to curb speeding and enhance urban road safety. What stands out is their commitment to combining enforcement with education and infrastructural adjustments. These strategies align with the Safe System Approach promoted by global traffic safety frameworks, which emphasizes shared responsibility and systemic thinking.

As India continues to urbanize and motorization rates climb, these city-led initiatives serve as important examples for others to follow. By fostering a culture of safer driving and designing roads that prioritize human life over speed, urban India can move closer to its Vision Zero ambitions—eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on roads.

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