SHUBHANGI SHIFA
Ranchi, Jan 7: Several of the traffic signals of the capital aren’t functioning properly, making it extremely difficult for policemen manning busy thoroughfares to ensure smooth flow of traffic, along with creating problems for the city dwellers who are half the time confused whether to follow the signal or to look at the traffic police for directions.
Traffic signals suddenly stop at any time while the traffic is on the move. The signal near Harmu Chowk is creating such trouble again. Here the signal suddenly lights up. Apart from this, a red signal often stays for long, prompting traffic officials to intervene and keep the traffic moving, due to which the people waiting are unable to understand whether to move or stop. Apart from this, the problem with traffic lights near Sujata Chowk, Jail Chowk, etc still persists. However, people have now started to stay and go on their own understanding. Still, the fear of a challan remains.
A traffic constable deputed at Sahjanand Chowk said that he was finding it difficult to do his job without functioning lights.
“A traffic signal is of great help. Now that it doesn’t work, we face a lot of problems,” he said.
Another constable deputed at Argora Chowk was equally distraught.
“With the help of technology, work can be done with limited manpower. With less than 300 traffic constables, defunct traffic lights throw up another challenge,” he explained.
When asked for comment over this issue, SP (City) with additional charge of Traffic SP Saurav Kumar did not receive the call, whereas the Traffic DSP cited a medical emergency and forwarded the number of the traffic light vendor.
The Traffic Light Vendor, Pankaj, initially said, all traffic signals are in working condition at the moment but when questioned about specific signals including Sahjanand Chowk, Harmu, Argora Chowk, Kadru Overbridge, Kantatoli Chowk, he said, ‘Several points including RIMS chowk, Mecon Chowk and Rajendra chowk have been made manual over instructions from officials.’ Stating road widening as a cause for making Sahjanand Chowk and Argora Chowk manual, Pankaj said, they will connect them as soon as the procedure is completed. Talking of the signal near Bharat Kitchen, Kadru, he said it has been kept on a blinker mode as per directions from officials.
Meanwhile, the manner and timing of signal lights have been arbitrarily fixed at the traffic post of the capital. That too is becoming a cause of problems for the people. Inexplicably, people have to wait for up to several minutes at some intersections. Some people had already given a written application to rectify the error but it hasn’t been fixed yet. This is causing confusion among the drivers. Such conditions are prevalent at many major square-intersections including Lalpur Chowk, Jail Chowk and Sujata Chowk.
