E-Paper
31 non-functional signals slow down Pune’s traffic
Survey conducted by Pune traffic police in June found 31 of the 230 signals across the city non-operational
The city’s roads are slowly getting back to pre-Covid times with bumper-to-bumper traffic, however with as many as 31 non-functional signals across the city, citizens are experiencing congestions at various intersections.
In an attempt to find out the cause of the congestions, traffic police Pune in the past month conducted a survey and found 31 spots where traffic signals are not working or inoperable.
The city is covered with 230 signals and the city police work along with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in maintaining and upkeep of the traffic signals at various locations across the city. But this year, the authority is lagging behind in their work of maintaining the signals.
“We conducted a survey a month ago, and every division (17) in total sent in their report which we collated and created a list of 31 traffic signals which are not working or have been knocked off,” said DCP traffic Rahul Shrirame.
“We have handed over the list to PMC to take action. Our job is to make sure that with unlock, the carriage way should be cleared and the traffic working should be smooth. We are the enforcing agency, supervising and informing the Municipal authorities about problems such as non-working signals, potholes as well as open man holes,” he added.
The list of 31 signals consists of small and medium intersections like Ramoshi gate chowk, with the reason mentioned that the signal has been not working for many days, or the one at Narpatgiri chowk where the cable lamp is broken.
The situation in Rameshwar chowk as well as in Sonya Maruti Chowk too is similar where the cable lamps, as well as the controller is also broken.
In Dattawadi area, the signals in Muktangan chowk, Shinde high school, the signal is closed indefinitely while the signal in Nath P chowk, it was shut off due to beautification of the chowk.
The traffic signal in Disulphate chowk, Dhakawdi phata, RTO chowk, Shrimaan Chowk, Parnakuti chowk, Abhimaanshri Pashan chowk, are all broken or not in working condition due to either Metro work or flyover construction work.
While most of the other chowks like Solapur Bazaar, Jambhulkar chowk, Tarkeshwar, Kalas phata, Deep Bangla, Shivaji road, Pashan, Ambedkar chowk in Aundh, Rajwada chowk, Baner, Rohini Bhate chowk, Deccan, Dhayari Phata, Shinde pul, Dange chowk, Warje, Dhumal chowk, Bibwewadi gaothan, Kunte chowk, Umbraya Maruti chowk and New English school chowk in Vishrambaug area are all non-working with broken cable, lamp and controller.
Shrinivas Kandul, head, electrical department of the PMC, “We have just received the list and will work on priority as we have the contractors ready to fix the problems. The sanctions have been moving slow as everyone was busy with Covid duties and now with the unlock, things are slowly coming back to normal.”
He also added that the idea of holding monthly co-ordination meetings with all heads of departments of PMC with the traffic police used to be held regularly earlier but since Covid, this too has taken a backseat.
“This list will be the first such list after two years that has been submitted to PMC,” said Kandul.
