Chandigarh: A stretch of road that has remained inaccessible to the public for nearly four and a half decades was temporarily reopened on Friday to facilitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s movement during his visit to Chandigarh. The restricted corridor, located near the Nayagaon-Chandigarh border, was cleared of barricades exclusively for the Prime Minister’s convoy before being sealed again for regular traffic.
The route, which connects key government establishments including the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Civil Secretariat, Raj Bhavan, Sukhna Lake and the official residences of the Punjab and Haryana Chief Ministers, has remained closed to civilians since 1980 because of security concerns during the militancy period in Punjab.
Although only about 500 metres long, the road is considered one of the most strategically important routes in Chandigarh due to its direct connectivity to several high-security locations. Security agencies routinely prefer it during visits by the Prime Minister, President and other VVIPs as it reduces travel time and allows for easier sanitisation of the movement corridor.
The closure of the road has, however, remained a contentious issue for years. Residents of Nayagaon and nearby villages, along with advocates, government employees and students, have repeatedly argued that reopening the road would significantly reduce commuting distance and ease congestion on surrounding roads.
In 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the Chandigarh Administration to open the road for public use on a trial basis during daytime hours, observing that the prolonged closure imposed unnecessary hardship on thousands of commuters. Before the order could be implemented, the Punjab government challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, citing security concerns around the Chief Minister’s residence. The apex court subsequently stayed the High Court’s directive, leaving the road closed for the general public.
As a result, while the corridor continues to serve as a preferred passage for high-security convoys, ordinary commuters remain barred from using it pending a final decision by the Supreme Court.
With Prime Minister Modi’s visit once again bringing the road into focus, the debate over balancing public convenience and security has resurfaced. Until the legal proceedings conclude, the restricted stretch is expected to remain accessible only during official VVIP movements.
