Chandigarh Pushes to Reopen City-Side Airport Entry, Speed Signboard Confusion Persists

Chandigarh, September 16, 2025 : Two major civic issues are drawing attention in Chandigarh today: the push to restore the old city-side access to Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, and ongoing confusion over inconsistent speed limit signage across the city’s roads. Advocate Ajay Jagga, a member of the UT Advisory Council, has formally written to UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, urging immediate reopening of the city-side entry to the airport. Currently, passengers from Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana must take a longer 15-km detour via Mohali to reach the terminal. The plan proposed includes reopening parking on the Chandigarh side and introducing a short paid shuttle (under 1 km) to reach the main terminal. This change is seen as cost-saving, time-saving, and environmentally beneficial due to reduced travel distance. Meanwhile, the speed limit signage across various sectors and roads remains confusing. Surveys have found that dozens of locations either display conflicting speed limits or don’t have signage at all. For example, some dual carriageways show one limit, while adjacent roads show different or unclear limits. The Traffic Police, Engineering Department, and Municipal Corporations are reportedly aware of the problem but corrective measures are yet to be implemented. Other notable developments include: GMCH-32 expansion: The Government Medical College & Hospital-32 is expanding its administrative block (Block D) by 2,500 sq ft to accommodate 48 new workstations and 10 officers’ cabins. This is intended to resolve a space crunch and improve hospital administrative efficiency. Sports achievement: 19-year-old Ishroop Narang from Chandigarh won silver in the -78 kg category at the Junior Asian Judo Championship in Jakarta. She has been coached by Vivek Thakur and trained at the Inspire Institute of Sport. These stories reflect a mix of infrastructure, civic planning, public safety, and individual achievement. Many residents are watching closely to see when the UT administration will follow through on its promises regarding airport access and traffic signage, both of which have persisted as complaints for years.