Srinagar: Despite passing of several years, traffic lights have not been restored at vital junctions in the summer capital
Failure of authorities to restore defunct traffic lights is taking toll on commuters.
The much-hyped Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS) are yet to be made functional. Ironically, traffic lights are not functioning at vital roads including Maulana Azad Road, Sanat Nagar and Budshah Chowk.
“What is the fun of installing hi-tech traffic light system without their functioning? Commuters are suffering due to inordinate delay in restoration of traffic light,” said Abdul Hamid, a commuter.
Due to closure of traffic lights at Maulana Azad Road, vehicles bound for Lal Chowk from Downtown have to take U-turn near Broadway Hotel crossing. This hampers traffic flow from Dalgate to Lal Chowk via Maulana Azad Road and poses risk of accidents.
Officials said that the traffic light project, which started a few years ago in Srinagar, jumped earlier deadline in 2020. They said the system is equipped with smart cameras and a state-of-the-art control room and will help in streamlining traffic in the city.
They said the system once functional will monitor traffic and divert it accordingly thereby avoiding traffic mess in the city.
The officials also said that SMC has installed the ATCS in over 10 locations including city centre Lal Chowk, to begin with.
Later over three dozen locations across Srinagar were equipped with ITL in phase two. These locations are mainly those which have a good traffic flow and important junctions which need the installation
SMC officials have been maintaining that traffic lights will work as soon as technical configuration is done.
They said that ATCS needs configuration to have it fully functional and make it possible to have it controlled via a single control room. They said that once these technical things will be addressed, the system will start working.
There are around 66 junctions in Srinagar where these systems have been installed.
Despite repeated calls, SMC Commissioner didn’t respond for his comments on delay in restoration of traffic lights.