Srinagar, Apr 25: Failure of authorities to restore defunct traffic lights in the summer capital is hampering smooth vehicular movement.
Despite passing of long time after installation, the much-hyped Adaptive Traffic Control System (ATCS) are yet to be made functional.
The ATCS was installed by SMC at all major junctions including Dalgate, Lal Chowk, Hazratbal and other areas. “In absence of traffic lights, traffic jams have become norm in Srinagar,” said Musaib Ahmed, a commuter.
Ironically, traffic lights have been closed at vital roads including Maulana Azad Road, Sanat Nagar and Budshah Chowk.
“Due to defunct traffic lights, 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. Ironically, not a single traffic cop is deputed at the crossing to regulate vehicular movement,” said Abdul Hamid of Dalgate.
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”, said the official.
Greater Kashmir did a series of stories this year about the non-functioning of traffic lights in Srinagar and how it creates traffic mess in Srinagar.
Officials have been maintaining that traffic lights will work as soon as technical configuration is done.
Officials 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.
The officials said that there were around 66 junctions in Srinagar where these systems have been installed. They said that they are also done with control room work and soon the system will start functioning.