Motorists fume over defunct signals, demand swift action

HYDERABAD:Defunct traffic signals at 10 busy intersections in the city are leading to major chaos on busy roads. Despite several complaints by commuters and local residents that the traffic lights in most places are not functioning for over a month, the authorities are yet to address the problem.

Commuters rue that faulty signals near SR Nagar Police Station, Rajeev Nagar X cross roads, Kalyan Nagar junction at Moti Nagar, outside the traffic complex at Adarsh Nagar and many other places are raising some serious road safety concerns.

“The traffic signal at the junction near Kalyan Nagar X Roads and S R Nagar police station does not work most of the time, causing severe traffic congestion. If the signals are not functioning, the traffic police department should ensure that a policeman is posted, at least till the signal is restored. I hope that the faulty signals will be replaced with new ones immediately,” said M Praveen, a cab driver.

The confusion is evident throughout the day and is a headache especially during peak hours in the morning and evening. “The traffic lights in this area are not functioning for over a month and is leading to a lot of chaos, especially during office hours. There seems to be no control over the situation as there are no traffic police in these places. We can see commuters arguing with each other due to confusion almost every day,” said Prakash Singh, an auto driver.

Most of these roads, especially at Masab Tank, Moti Nagar Junction, Nagarjuna Circle and S R Nagar lead to many schools and colleges. “After several complaints, the traffic signal near S R Nagar community hall has been repaired but there are several others which need immediate attention. Traffic jam is worse at the time of opening and closing of the schools and colleges,” Singh added.

When contacted, ACP (traffic) Koteswara Rao said, “The signals are not functioning because some mechanical parts are missing. The traffic lights in some areas like Kalyan Nagar, SR Nagar, Nagarjuna Circle are under repair and will be fixed soon”.