As of now, traffic light points on city roads control movement of vehicles going in all directions, including left turn. (Representational)IN AN effort to check congestion at traffic junctions during a red signal, the PMC City Improvement Committee (CIC) passed a resolution urging the civic administration to allow free movement for vehicles taking a left turn.
Corporator Bhaiyasaheb Jadhav of the NCP and Shiv Sena corporator Avinash Salve tabled the proposal that cities like Delhi, Chandigarh and Bengaluru also allow. This has helped keep in check congestion at traffic junctions. “The proposal was approved by the committee and has now been forwarded to the general body for a final nod before implementation,” said Prassana Jagtap, chairperson of CIC.
As of now, traffic light points on city roads control movement of vehicles going in all directions, including left turn.
The corporators pointed out that encroachment at traffic junctions and signal for vehicles turning left was causing congestion. So, all the junctions in the city should be cleared of encroachment and widened along with a trial for free left movement for vehicles.
They said congestion would reduce by 33 per cent if free movement to the left is allowed for vehicles. “There was discussion on the proposal and it was approved to streamline traffic on city roads,” Jagtap said.
The PMC has opted for flyovers at different city junctions that witness heavy flow and traffic jams, but activists have opposed it by demanding to widen roads. They say increase in number of flyovers also leads to an increase in traffic flow with people opting to use private vehicles instead of public transport. The city has a large number of two-wheelers while the use of private four-wheelers is also on the rise.