Traffic signals lose steam in just four months.

Traffic signals lose steam in just four months.

Commuters face inconvenience at many intersections

Yash Khajuria             12/28/2012 7:25:43 PM
JAMMU, Dec 28: Within four month of installation, the traffic signals at several points in the winter capital city have turned non-functional causing chaos among the commuters. Sources disclosed that inferiority had been adopted in planning and there was complete lack of coordination among various agencies. As a result of which the traffic signals have developed mal-functioning. 

Commuters face a harrowing time as vital circles in city were grid locked due to non-functioning of traffic lights. Traffic Police said the signals were made non-functional on an ‘experimental basis’ to assess the flow of traffic on these Circles. 

In the run-up to the exercise of relocating traffic signals to busy chowks from ‘redundant places’, traffic lights at Panama Chowk, Ambphalla, Panjthirthi and Paloura rotaries were made non-functional for past two days, resulting in chaos and frequent traffic snarls.
“Some lights were not working at the busy rotaries. There was complete chaos at Panama Chowk in the afternoon where long traffic jam was witnessed due to non-functioning of the traffic signal. Even traffic policemen were conspicuous by their absence that had made the situation more complicated,” said a Local of area. 

Muneer Ahmad Khan, Inspector General of Police (Traffic), J&K, however, said some traffic signals had been made non-functional on an ‘experimental basis’ to assess and get an update about the flow of traffic on these rotaries. 

“There are some places where there is no or less use of traffic signals. We are assessing the traffic scenario on these rotaries and will make recommendations to the government to bring some changes in the existing system so that traffic signals are installed on such places where there is an immediate need for them,” the IGP said. 

He said the department was facing problems in regulating and streamlining the traffic because of the non-installation of traffic signals at some points. “The Roads & Building department and Jammu Municipal Corporation have also started marking of roads, preparing zebra crossing bands and lane arrows at several places to further streamline the system,” Khan said. 

The Traffic Lights in Jammu were likely to give up soon by the time of their Installation. Despite been highlighted in the news papers that the ‘planning Committee for baffling reason had ignored some of the busiest locations of the city from its ‘priority points’ at the time of installation of traffic signals in the first phase. 

The 30 city intersections where traffic signals were installed on a priority basis in the first phase include, Satwari Chowk, Main Stop, Gole Market, Green Belt Gandhi Nagar, Chattri Point Gandhi Nagar, Bikram Chowk, Jewel Chowk, KC Crossing, Shakuntla Crossing, Medical College Crossing, Ambphalla Chowk, Canal Head Crossing, Bakshi Nagar Pulli, Talab Tillo Chowk, BSF Paloura Crossing, Library Chowk, Vigilance Rotary, Parade Chowk, Rameshwar Temple, Shalamar Chowk, Indira Chowk, Vivekanand Chowk, Saheedi Chowk, Panama Chowk, Janipur Main Chowk, Janipur-Roop Nagar Crossing, High Court Turning, Kunjwani Chowk, Narwal Chowk and Bathandi By-pass road. 

Indeed the minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani had also chaired a high-level meeting and constituted a new committee comprising JMC Commissioner, DIG Traffic, Jammu, Deputy Commissioner and officials from the R&B and the PDD to coordinate and remove impediments in the smooth regulation of traffic.