Panjab University's ambitious drive to regulate campus traffic by issuing QR code-based stickers to student vehicles has yielded a surprising result, highlighting a significant issue with outsider vehicles. After nearly nine months, only about 1,800 stickers have been issued to students, despite over 16,000 students being enrolled on campus.
A Drive to Curb Congestion and Unauthorised Access
The sticker initiative was launched in March this year to address long-standing complaints of severe traffic congestion, haphazard parking, and unrestricted access for non-university vehicles, particularly during peak hours. University authorities had acknowledged that without a verified database of authorised vehicles, enforcing entry rules at security checkpoints was a major challenge.
Under the new system, students who owned and used four-wheelers on campus were required to apply through an online portal. They had to upload necessary documents to obtain a unique QR code sticker linked to their university identity. This sticker would allow security personnel to instantly scan and verify if a vehicle was legitimately registered to a student.
Low Issuance Numbers Tell a Telling Story
The conclusion of the application process has now provided hard data. Dean of Student Welfare, Amit Chauhan, confirmed that the portal has been closed and all applications received within the stipulated period have been processed. The final figure of approximately 1,800 stickers issued starkly contrasts with the total student strength, confirming that only a small fraction of students own or regularly use cars within the university premises.
This data validates earlier suspicions that a large portion of the heavy four-wheeler traffic clogging campus roads did not belong to students. The low uptake of stickers suggests that the core traffic and parking problems are predominantly fueled by vehicles from outside the university community.
Establishing a Baseline for Future Enforcement
University officials have stated that the primary objective of the QR code system was to first identify the true scale of student-owned vehicles on campus. With that exercise now complete, the administration has established a crucial baseline database.
Officials maintain that the goal is not to restrict genuine student movement but to regulate overall traffic and parking chaos. The revelation from the sticker drive is expected to pave the way for stricter enforcement measures. Authorities have indicated that tighter checks against unauthorised vehicles, especially those using the university campus as a convenient transit route, are likely to be implemented now that a framework for identifying legitimate vehicles is in place.
The initiative underscores a persistent challenge for educational campuses in urban areas: managing infrastructure not just for their own members, but also against its use by the general public seeking shortcuts or parking space.
