Rama Mandi Chowk, located near Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station and the National Highway, has emerged as one of the city's most accident-prone junctions. Since the opening of the new railway station entry connecting the station to the Rama Mandi side, traffic movement has increased significantly. However, the road network surrounding the intersection has failed to keep pace, resulting in frequent congestion and a rising number of crashes.
Road safety data
According to road safety data cited in the report, 17 road accidents were recorded between January 1 and July 30, highlighting serious flaws in the current traffic arrangement. The junction serves vehicles coming from the Delhi-Ludhiana National Highway, local traffic from the service roads, commuters heading towards the railway station, and traffic using the railway overbridge. All these streams merge at a single point, creating confusion and increasing the risk of collisions.
Beliefs of the experts
Experts believe the problem lies less with driver behaviour and more with the design of the intersection. Vehicles travelling at highway speeds are forced to interact with slow-moving local traffic without adequate channelisation or dedicated turning lanes. Motorists often make sudden U-turns or right turns, while pedestrians are left to cross busy roads without safe infrastructure such as foot overbridges or properly marked crossings.
Illegal parking and roadside encroachments further narrow the available road space, forcing vehicles to weave through traffic. Public transport buses frequently stop near the junction, creating bottlenecks that reduce visibility and increase the likelihood of accidents.
Suggestions of road safety specialities
Road safety specialists have suggested a comprehensive redesign of the intersection instead of temporary traffic management measures. Their recommendations include constructing dedicated service lanes, redesigning turning points, removing outdated traffic islands, installing adaptive smart traffic signals, creating proper pedestrian crossings, and introducing speed-calming measures before vehicles enter the intersection. They have also recommended separating highway traffic from local traffic wherever possible to minimise conflict points.
Reflection of broader challenge
The issue reflects a broader challenge faced by rapidly expanding Indian cities. New infrastructure projects often improve connectivity but also generate additional traffic that existing roads are not designed to handle. Without proper planning, such developments can unintentionally create new accident hotspots.
Solution of this challenge
For Jalandhar, the solution lies in adopting a data-driven approach to road safety. Every accident should be treated as a lesson in infrastructure planning rather than merely an enforcement issue. As traffic volumes continue to grow around the Cantonment Railway Station, authorities have an opportunity to redesign Rama Mandi Chowk into a safer and more efficient junction before more lives are put at risk.
Roads should connect people—not become places where daily travel carries unnecessary danger.
