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Traffic signals go kaput during rain, trigger snarls
It is one of Delhi’s big mysteries. Whenever it rains, at least 45-50 traffic signals — most on the busy arterial roads — stop working. Subhendu Ray reports.
It is one of Delhi’s big mysteries.
Whenever it rains, at least 45-50 traffic signals — most on the busy arterial roads — stop working.
But the traffic police, which maintains these lights, don’t think it is a problem at all. “Only 7% to 8% lights become defunct during rains,” said Anil Shukla, additional commissioner of police (traffic).
Perennial waterlogging on city roads during monsoon is worsened by the dysfunctional traffic lights, leading to massive snarls. “Waterlogging and defunct traffic lights are equally responsible for the chaos and traffic jams on roads. It’s a problem that we face every year during this season,” said Ratnadeep Thakur, who got stuck at Defence Colony on Tuesday evening for about an hour, when it rained heavily.
“Some signals in central Delhi also remain dysfunctional for hours during rains,” said Aswini Sharma, another commuter.
When confronted with the situation on the ground, Shukla explained: “We have created a history sheet of all 815-odd signals in the city and update it on day-to-day basis. Special teams have been formed to repair the defunct signals during night hours everyday.”
Traffic police said they are planning to adopt battery back-up facilities so that signals remain functional even during power cuts.
“This system is being tried in Bangalore and hopefully we will introduce it here as well,” Shukla said. Meanwhile, traffic police claimed that waterlogging problem has reduced in the city this year as the civic agencies have repaired many waterlogging-prone stretches. “Only 65 points got waterlogged on Tuesday,” said Shukla.Shukla wrote to the road-owning agencies in February and then in May, asking them repair a total of 157 points in the Capital which are prone to waterlogging. Of the 157 points identified by the traffic police, 142 were under the Public Works Department (PWD) and remaining under the municipal corporations and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Light rain on Wednesday
A day after receiving heavy rainfall, the city witnessed a comfortable but relatively dry day on Wednesday. The maximum temperature was recorded at 35.1 degrees, normal for this time of the year.
The minimum was recorded as 22.8 degrees, four degrees below normal. The city received 1.6 mm of rainfall during the day. According to the weatherman, the city is expected to see light rain across the city on Thursday was well. The temperature is expected to be between 35 and 24 degrees.
The cool temperature, however, kept everyone in good spirits.
“Tuesday’s rain was a real treat, especially after the long dry spell in the city. The temperatures on Wednesday were low and the humidity was not very irksome,” said Sumedha Kapoor, a Delhi University student.
The temperature is expected to be similar in the coming few days.
