with severe traffic congestion as student council elections reach their peak. A surge in campaign rallies, increased vehicular movement, and tightened security checks at campus gates have brought traffic to a near standstill, leaving students and local residents stuck in long queues.
The situation is most acute at PU Gate No. 2, where intensified checking of vehicles and ID stickers has created bottlenecks stretching to the main traffic lights.
“The checking at Gate No. 2 is affecting traffic on the main road as well. Queues reach the traffic lights, blocking the entire stretch. It takes 20-30 minutes just to enter the university,” said Vidushi, a PhD scholar and Sector 15 resident.
In response, university authorities have cleared a nearby parking area to inspect vehicles lacking valid PU stickers or bearing political party branding. This step is intended to reduce wait times at the main gate.
“This system has been adopted after multiple complaints of traffic jams near Gate No. 2. A meeting was held with all wardens and the arrangement is helping. We may consider continuing it in the future,” said Amit Chauhan, Dean of Student Welfare.
Krishan Kumar, PU security in-charge at Gate No. 2, added that the new arrangement helps avoid halting traffic at the entrance. “Now, we are stopping cars without stickers, checking them in a separate area, and removing party stickers from vehicles,” he said.
Shop employees in nearby Sector 14 said that while rush is normal at PU, election season makes the situation far more chaotic. “There’s always some rush, but poll season is a different story. That said, the new arrangement at the PU gate this year has slightly eased things for now,” one employee said.
Even with the improved gate management, roads in Sector 15 remain congested. Residents note that the combination of student rallies, increased cars, and gedi culture overwhelms normal traffic management.
“The election time is totally different. Student rush, number of cars, gedi culture, everything increases in the area. It’s chaotic,” said Tanya, a PG resident in Sector 15.
Khushi, another local resident, added, “Usually there is rush, but during polls, it gets unbearable.” A Verka booth operator in 15B market said, “The situation is still better here, but 15A and 15D areas are the worst hit.”
Students say that rallies bring a surge in four-wheelers that clog internal campus roads. “Traffic increases during polls. It causes problems sometimes, but it’s all part of the poll season,” said a PhD scholar from the Botany department.
